Milestone-Proposal:First Karaoke Machine, 1967

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Docket #:2024-25

This proposal has been submitted for review.

To the proposer’s knowledge, is this achievement subject to litigation? No

Is the achievement you are proposing more than 25 years old? Yes

Is the achievement you are proposing within IEEE’s designated fields as defined by IEEE Bylaw I-104.11, namely: Engineering, Computer Sciences and Information Technology, Physical Sciences, Biological and Medical Sciences, Mathematics, Technical Communications, Education, Management, and Law and Policy. Yes

Did the achievement provide a meaningful benefit for humanity? Yes

Was it of at least regional importance? Yes

Has an IEEE Organizational Unit agreed to pay for the milestone plaque(s)? Yes

Has the IEEE Section(s) in which the plaque(s) will be located agreed to arrange the dedication ceremony? Yes

Has the IEEE Section in which the milestone is located agreed to take responsibility for the plaque after it is dedicated? Yes

Has the owner of the site agreed to have it designated as an IEEE Milestone? Yes

Year or range of years in which the achievement occurred:

1967

Title of the proposed milestone:

First Karaoke Machine, 1967

Plaque citation summarizing the achievement and its significance; if personal name(s) are included, such name(s) must follow the achievement itself in the citation wording: Text absolutely limited by plaque dimensions to 70 words; 60 is preferable for aesthetic reasons.

The first karaoke machine was created in 1967 by mixing live vocals with pre-recorded accompaniment for public entertainment, leading to its worldwide popularity. Created by Shigeichi Negishi of Nichiden Kogyo, and originally called Music Box (later Sparko Box), it included a mixer, microphone, and 8-track tape player, with a coin payment system to charge the singer. An early operational machine has been displayed at the original company site in Tokyo.

200-250 word abstract describing the significance of the technical achievement being proposed, the person(s) involved, historical context, humanitarian and social impact, as well as any possible controversies the advocate might need to review.

In October 1967, Shigeichi Negishi of Nichiden Kogyo manufactured and sold the world’s first karaoke machine. This machine included melody recorded on 8-track magnetic media, an audio device that could mix the singer’s voice with the melody, and a charging mechanism, so-called coin timer, that allowed the owner to charge the singer. It was the first karaoke machine and the origin of modern karaoke machines. Subsequently, karaoke machines were placed in the premises of restaurants that serve liquor, bars and so-called snack bars and hotel banquet halls, where they were used often as entertainment for drinking parties. In the 1980s, with the development of laser discs, it became possible to display images and lyrics on a screen for the first time. Karaoke until then only offered instrumental melody only. In the mid-1980s, soundproofed karaoke boxes emerged as a new business model. Online karaoke, which began to gain popularity in 1992, became a major driving force behind broadband communications. Today, karaoke has grown into a major industry in Japan, worth hundreds of billions of yen, and has expanded its market worldwide.

IEEE technical societies and technical councils within whose fields of interest the Milestone proposal resides.

IEEE Consumer Technology Society

In what IEEE section(s) does it reside?

IEEE Tokyo Section

IEEE Organizational Unit(s) which have agreed to sponsor the Milestone:

IEEE Organizational Unit(s) paying for milestone plaque(s):

Unit: IEEE Tokyo Section
Senior Officer Name: Kiyoharu Aizawa

IEEE Organizational Unit(s) arranging the dedication ceremony:

Unit: IEEE Tokyo Section
Senior Officer Name: Kiyoharu Aizawa

IEEE section(s) monitoring the plaque(s):

IEEE Section: IEEE Tokyo Section
IEEE Section Chair name: Kiyoharu Aizawa

Milestone proposer(s):

Proposer name: Shiro Kataoka
Proposer email: Proposer's email masked to public

Proposer name: Chiaki Ishikawa
Proposer email: Proposer's email masked to public

Please note: your email address and contact information will be masked on the website for privacy reasons. Only IEEE History Center Staff will be able to view the email address.

Street address(es) and GPS coordinates in decimal form of the intended milestone plaque site(s):

Negishi Tobacco Store

44-14, OyamaKanai-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, 173-0024 Japan

GPS Coordinate: N 35.7457517, W 139.7042032

Describe briefly the intended site(s) of the milestone plaque(s). The intended site(s) must have a direct connection with the achievement (e.g. where developed, invented, tested, demonstrated, installed, or operated, etc.). A museum where a device or example of the technology is displayed, or the university where the inventor studied, are not, in themselves, sufficient connection for a milestone plaque.

Please give the address(es) of the plaque site(s) (GPS coordinates if you have them). Also please give the details of the mounting, i.e. on the outside of the building, in the ground floor entrance hall, on a plinth on the grounds, etc. If visitors to the plaque site will need to go through security, or make an appointment, please give the contact information visitors will need.
The company "Nichiden Kogyo" where Shigeichi Negishi invented and manufactured the first karaoke machine no longer exists. However, his daughter, Atsumi Takano, and son, Akihiro Negishi, each has built houses and live on the site where the former company existed. There is a tobacco shop on the land lot of the former factory. The tobacco shop was started by Shigeishi Negishi when he retired and is now succeeded by his daughter. The plaque will be placed at the Tobacco shop facing the street.

Are the original buildings extant?

No, the company “Nichiden Kogyo” of the inventor, Shigeichi Negishi, was located at Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, Japan, but that company no longer exists. However, his daughter and son each has built houses and live on the site where the former company existed..

Details of the plaque mounting:

The plaque will be displayed at entrance of the house where Shigeichi Negishi's daughter and son live. There is a tabacco shop on the ground floor of the house. The tobacco shop faces the road and is located on the site of Mr. Negishi's former company.

[Location detail] The company of the inventor Shigeichi Negishi was located on a piece of land 400 meters square next to an intersection. Currently, there is a "Negishi Tobacco Store" on the corner on the site of the former company where his daughter and Negishi's family live there. The store was opened by Shigeichi Negishi and is now managed by his daughter, Atsumi Takano. The photo shows the front of the Negishi tobacco store.

They are thinking of putting a plaque on this corner. This is because anyone can freely view it the place at any time without prior permission. The tobacco store's GPS coordinate is 35.7457517, 139.7042032

How is the site protected/secured, and in what ways is it accessible to the public?

The plaque will be set on the entrance of the tobacco shop owned and operated by Negishi family. The tobacco shop is facing the street. So, anyone can freely view the plaque at any time without prior permission.

Who is the present owner of the site(s)?

Atsumi Takano, the daughter of Shigeichi Negishi, and Akihiro Negishi, his son.

What is the historical significance of the work (its technological, scientific, or social importance)? If personal names are included in citation, include detailed support at the end of this section preceded by "Justification for Inclusion of Name(s)". (see section 6 of Milestone Guidelines)

Justification of name in citation

In October 1967, Shigeichi Negishi of Nichiden Kogyo invented the karaoke machine. He sold them to a trading company under the trade name "Music Box" [1],[2],[3],[4a],[5b],[6a],[7],[8a],[9],[11],[12]. Subsequently, the trading company resold his product to the commercial market [4a],[5c]. Around 1969, it was sold under the new name "Sparko Box", also [5c].

In 1994, when the All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association [Appendix], a trade association of Karaoke business operators, was established, they investigated the origin of karaoke machines. The Association collected materials on early karaoke products and testimonials from potential inventors. In 1999, they hosted a roundtable discussion with executives and experts to discuss the history of the karaoke industry and its origin[4a]. They concluded that Shigeichi Negishi was the inventor of the first karaoke machine with essential characteristics (see the section “4.3 Shigeichi Negishi; Inventor of Karaoke machine” for a discussion.).

Although Shigeichi Negishi invented karaoke on his own, he did not patent it due to the high registration fee and lengthy process [6f]. The first karaoke machine he invented has been preserved by his family.

In this way, Shigeichi Negishi's has been recognized widely as the inventor of karaoke machine in Japan. Today, his achievement is also recognized overseas [9].

Historical Significance

Karaoke and its history

Karaoke (/ˌkæriˈoʊki/, Japanese: [kaɾaoke]; カラオケ, compound of Japanese kara “空, empty" and ōkesutora “オーケストラ, orchestra") is a type of interactive entertainment system ([10], Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary).

The word “karaoke” was originally a term used in the broadcasting industry to refer to melody provided by non-human means. It meant that the instrumental melody of a song was was produced from a pre-recorded tape instead of a live performance by an orchestra or band. As karaoke became popular, various forms of karaoke-induced entertainment came to be known by this name.

From the 1960s, the “device” that generates the melody to aid singing was called “karaoke”, and the 8-track tape deck, which was popular as part of a car stereo, was mainly used for this purpose. Since the 1980s, laserdiscs, VHDs, video CDs, and DVDs have become popular and replaced the 8-track tapes. From that time on, karaoke came to refer collectively to the act of singing using the device, and the place for singing, such as a karaoke box. Since the development of broadband environments in the 1990s, karaoke in Japan has become dominated by “online karaoke”, which sends melodies, lyrics and images over the network.

Early Karaoke machine and its elements

Prior to karaoke machines, there had been jukeboxes. The early karaoke machines were different from Jukeboxes and had the following elementary functions, which defined the emerging Karaoke machine:

(1) Contents: songs without the main vocal chorus

(2) Media: Magnetic recording tape that records the contents

(3) Audio device: A device that can mix the the the voice of the user/singer with the accompanying melody during singing

(4) Lyrics card: A printed card with the song title, original singer’s name, and lyrics

Karaoke machines were expensive in the beginning. Therefore, karaoke vendors aimed to popularize them in the commercial market rather than for personal home use. The following business models were added for owners and sellers:

(5) Usage Fee Charging Mechanism: A system that allows the owner to charge the user/singer

(6) Marketing Means: Methods by which the sellers rent the equipment, collect money, and regularly update the available songs

Shigeichi Negishi; Inventor of Karaoke machine

The first karaoke machine was invented and manufactured by Shigeichi Negishi of Nichiden Kogyo in October 1967 [1],[2],[3],[4a],[5b],[6a],[7],[8a],[9],[11],[12]. He sold it to Mitsuyoshi Hamasu of Kokusai Shohin [5c], a trading company with sales channels in restaurants, coffee shops, and snack bars, etc. in 1967.

Mitsuyoshi Hamasu began selling and leasing the machines to these establishments at the end of 1967. In 1969, it was rebranded under the new trade name "Sparko Box". According to an interview [5c], about 8,000 units of this device were sold between 1967 and 1973.

Photos 1 and 2 show Shigeichi Negishi’s “Music Box” [5c].

[Caption] The proposers confirmed that a karaoke machine made by Shigeichi Negishi is owned by Negishi’s family and is still operational. The following four photos were taken at the house of a member of Negishi's family in September 2024.

Photo 1 Front view of Music Box

Photo 2 Side view of Music Box

This Music Box (later known as the Sparko Box) was equipped with the essential elements of a karaoke machine described in the section “Early Karaoke Machine and Its Elements”:

(1) It contained 20 tracks of instrumental melodies.

(2) Melodies were pre-recorded on 8-track magnetic tapes played on an 8-track magnetic tape player.

(3) It featured an audio device that could mix the the voice of user/singer from a microphone with the music from the recorded media. (Photo 3)

(4) According to an interview [5b], for the convenience of the users/singers, it also included a lyrics card [6b].

(5) A mechanism to collect fees from users/singers, called the “Coin Timer,” was attached, as shown in photo 4.

Negishi was quoted explaining his background as follows in [6a]:

  Negishi was born in 1923. After graduating from Hosei University's Faculty of
  Economics, he joined Okura-gumi (the predecessor of Taisei
  Corporation), but then went into military service. After working for
  Olympus Optical and an electrical parts manufacturer, he set up his
  own business as an electrical parts subcontractor in 1956, starting up
  a company called Nichiden Kogyo with a capital of 30 million yen and a
  plot of land measuring about 260 square meters. The main work at the
  time was the assembly of portable radios for home use, car stereos and
  car radios.

So、it was easy for Negishi to have the circuit including the mixer assembled for the initial prototype quickly in a few days by his staff.

The proposers confirmed that, as of September 2024, a copy of the karaoke machine he made is kept by Negishi’s family and is still operational.

Photo 3 and 4 show the top panel of the Music Box.

[Caption] Upper-left corner (viewed from the front) of the top panel of Music Box. Insert ports for 8-track tapes. Words of “8 TRACK HiFi STEREO MUSIC BOX”, “CHANEL SELECT, VOLUME, BALANCE, TONE” are visible on the sliver panels toward the front. Photo 3 Upper-left corner (viewed from the front) of the Top Panel of Music Box

[Caption] Insert port for 100 yen coin. “10 minutes operation per 100 yen” written in Japanese.

Photo 4 Upper-right corner of the Top Panel of Music Box

Shigeichi Negishi exited the karaoke business in around 1975 [9].

Social Impact

The “Music Box” invented by Shigeichi Negishi was initially used as a small jukebox in restaurants and other venues.

Since the 1970s, its use has evolved from a mini jukebox for listening to music to a karaoke machine for singing. This shift was driven by the recession in restaurant business due to the oil crisis of the mid-1970s and the demand for new products/services during the economic downturn. And, one such product was karaoke machines that helped people sing. Karaoke machines, which helped people to sing with accompanying melody, eliminated the need to call for an instrument player such a guitar or accordion player. The novelty of singing with a microphone in hand, like a professional singer, quickly gained popularity. Additionally, from the viewpoint of the owners of the venue, where karaoke machines were placed, the machines became popular because it required less time to earn more usage fee than a mini jukebox of the day. In the 1970s, karaoke machines were often placed in small bars, restaurants, and hotel banquet halls. Karaoke was used often as entertainment at drinking parties.

Karaoke played a significant role in promoting the sales of audio-visual devices such as CDs and laserdiscs in the 1980s. With the development of laserdiscs, karaoke, which offered audio music only until then, began to display images and lyrics for the first time. This innovation was marketed under the name “laser karaoke.” In the mid-1980s, soundproofed karaoke boxes emerged as a business model. Karaoke box venues specialize in providing karaoke functions only. Until then karaoke had been considered as an ancillary service in bars, cafes, hotel banquet rooms, etc.

In the 1990s, Japan saw many million-selling single CDs. This trend was driven by the growing desire, especially among young people, to increase the number of “songs they could sing.” Karaoke boxes, venues with rooms dedicated to karaoke playing which had spread nationwide, provided a place where people could easily practice singing, and karaoke distribution via the communication network made it possible to distribute new songs quickly. The popularity of karaoke also led to the inclusion of instrumental only karaoke tracks on CD singles, allowing people to practice singing at home without special equipment. The distribution of karaoke data (mostly MIDI data) via phone line to cover the last mile to reach venues where karaoke machines were placed using audio modem began in 1992. This may be called "streaming karaoke", sending melodies, and lyrics over the network. [4c] [23] This "streaming karaoke" became a major driving force behind the popularization of broadband communications in Japan. Once the broadband became available, "online karaoke" distribution became very popular, and background video images of many titles started to be sent over the network. Now, "onine karaoke" extends to homes. At homes, patrons can enjoy karaoke using PCs or game consoles.

Online karaoke made it to the USA and became very popular after it swept the Japanese market in the 1990s. A column article in IEEE Parallel & Distributed Technology: Systems & Applications described the situation in the winter of 1996 [15].: "Ron Arnone, publisher of American Karaoke magazine, estimates that in the US there are 8,000 to 10,000 karaoke jockeys (someone who operates a karaoke system and gets people to participate), and that 1995 US sales of karaoke equipment totaled 200 to 300 million dollars". The reference [15] reviews a few research projects to distribute karaoke data efficiently over the broadband network [16].

Thus, Karaoke in USA became popular to the point that it led computer scientists to think hard about the efficient distribution method over broadband.

IEEE pays significant attention in its motto of IEEE to "advancing technology for the benefit of humanity". Today, karaoke has played a role in the area of caring the aged. Many care facilities for the aged have reported the positive result of using Karaoke for its members. For example, a care center for the aged has reported the following benefits of Karaoke.: Social engagement, cognitive stimulation, mood enhancement, physical activity, creative expression, and improved confidence. [17] Releasing stress is often cited as one of the benefits [18], and that is not for the aged only.

These benefits may have been anecdotal, but since the benefits seem to be very concrete, there are now attempts to quantify the benefit of Karaoke in academic papers.: Positive results of Karaoke activity have been reported for the aged [19], people with dementia [20], and people with Alzheimer's decease.[21].

It is doubtful if Negishi thought of these benefits when he invented the machine in 1967, but now the benefits reach many millions of people around the world, both aged and non-aged.

Industrial Impact

Since the invention of the first karaoke machine, there had been no survey of the industry’s actual state for a long time until a survey by a trade association.

In 1994, the All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association, a trade association of karaoke business operators, was established.

  [Remarks] The All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association had 358 member businesses in 2023, covering about 84% of the karaoke market [source: non-public business report distributed to members. More in Appendix about this important trade association in Karaoke industry in Japan.].

The Association immediately began investigating the market scale of the karaoke business. The “Karaoke White Paper” has been published annually since 1995, the year after the Association’s establishment [14]. According to the White Paper of 1996, when the karaoke box market, which emerged as a new market in contrasts to the traditional market of taverns, hotels, and inns, reached its peak, the annual market size was 1.298 trillion yen (about 10 billion dollars). As of 2014, the annual business scale had grown to about 600 billion yen (about 4.3 billion dollars) in total.

Overseas Expansion

Karaoke invented in Japan has been deployed overseas since the 1980s [9]. Today, Karaoke has spread to more than 30 countries around the world [13].

What obstacles (technical, political, geographic) needed to be overcome?

Obstacles to overcome

Obstacles to obtain accompaniment and solutions

In the past, singers needed a live orchestra for instrumental melody. It was not easy to have such live musicians anytime and anywhere. Even when someone wanted to perform in a bar or restaurant, they had to call and wait for an instrument player with a guitar or accordion to accompany them. (This was quite traditional in Japanese entertainment districts.)

Karaoke machine solved this difficulty in the following manner. Ordinary recordings of songs contain the vocal part and instrument melody together. For karaoke use, music without the main vocal part was recorded in advance on 8-track magnetic tape for car stereo equipment, which was practical at the time. As a result, users/singers could play back the accompanying melody anytime, anywhere, using a karaoke device while they sing looking at the lyrics cards.

Challenges and solutions for dissemination

Karaoke machines at that time were expensive. Therefore, the business focus was on business use by owners of venues such as bars, restaurants, and hotels, rather than on home use. Direct sales and leasing were the main purchasing options. To reduce the burden on purchasers of karaoke equipment for collecting usage fees, a charging device called “Coin Timer” was added, allowing users/singers to pay per time, such as 100 yen for 10 minutes play. With these new business models, karaoke machines gradually became popular in commercial setting.

What features set this work apart from similar achievements?

Features set this work apart from similar achievements

Discussion of the inventor of Karaoke

There were various theories about the first inventor of karaoke machine. At the end of the 20th century, an attempt was made to unravel the history of karaoke, a great entertainment culture born in Japan in the 20th century. The All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association conducted a survey to identify the inventor of karaoke. The results of the survey are illustrated in the document, shown in Figure 1 [1],[3]. As explained in Appendix and in this application document elsewhere, The All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association is the largest industrial association of its kind in Japan, and its findings are very authoritative.

(1) First, the Association collected product materials (literatures, clippings of newspaper and magazine articles) from the early days of karaoke around 1970. They then published a historical timeline of the results. Figure 1 shows a historical timeline of karaoke [1],[3].

[Caption] Music Box in 1967, Sparko Box in 1969, Gekka and Kikka in 1970, Petty Juke 203 in 1970, 8-JUKE in 1971, and Harp in 1971

Figure 1 Historical Time table of the Karaoke

(2) The Association then met with the candidates for the invention at that time and collected numerous testimonies, which were made public [5a],[5b],[5c],[5d],[5e],[5f].

(3) Based on these results, the Association held a roundtable discussion with six executives and experts to identify the inventor of karaoke. The contents of the roundtable discussion were then published. Figure 2 shows the roundtable discussion, shown in Figure 2 [4a],[4b].

[Caption] Attendees at the roundtable discussion (p.5, Photo: Left to Right): Tadahiko Hoshi (President, Daiichikosho), Hiroshi Iinuma (President, Victor Leisure System), Shonosuke Kezuka (President, Nisshodenki), Yuichi Yasutomo (Executive Director, Xing), Hiroshi Betsumiya (President, Taikan), and Shiro Kataoka (Executive Director, All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association). These were basically Who’s Who of the Karaoke industry of the time. After the mergers and many changes of the industrial landscape, only a few companies remain today.

Figure 2: Roundtable discussion

As a result, as mentioned in the section “Early Karaoke Machine and Its Elements,” it is now known that Shigeichi Negishi invented the karaoke machine in 1967. The inventor finalists mentioned in the survey by All Japan Karaoke Industrialist Assoction were as follows:

(a) In 1970, “Kikuka” et al. [6d], and in 1971, the 8-track playback machine “Harp” with a microphone was sold by Toshiharu Yamashita [4b],[5f],[6d].

(b) In January 1971, the small jukebox “PETTY JUKE” was released by Tsutomu Hamasaki [5d],[6c].

(c) In January 1971, the dedicated device “8JUKE”was released by Daisuke Inoue [5e],[6e],[8b].

These were evaluated on top of Negishi's machine.

The Association compared the release years of all these devices and found that they were later than 1967, when Shigeichi Negishi released his invention.

In the 2000s, two authors interviewed these four inventor candidates. The results were published in their books. All of these findings are consistent with the results of the Association. [6a]

Comparison of devices regarding the specifications of early Karaoke machine

The section “Early Karaoke machine and its elements” lists six elements of a karaoke machine. The devices made by the four innovator candidates, including Shigeichi Negishi, mentioned in the section “Discussion of the Inventor of Karaoke,” were compared based on these elements. As a result, the Association confirmed that there were no notable differences with regard to the specification. Therefore, the association concluded that Shigeichi Negishi’s machine had necessary elements of a karaoke machine, and preceded other inventions, and thus it holds the great value as the very first invention.

As noted in “Social Impact” section, the karaoke market has grown very large, and it started from the invention of Shigeichi Negishi in 1967. This is the conclusion of the All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association after its extensive survey including the interviews of the potential candidates.

Why was the achievement successful and impactful?

Karaoke has the following appeals.

1. Karaoke machine has made it possible for people to sing like a professional singer with a microphone in their hand without the need for live musicians by providing pre-recorded instrument music. And it is available at an affordable price in comparison to hire live musicians.

2. The availability of lyrics in the form of lyrics cards in the early days, and now the subtitles on the screen makes it easier for people to sing, lowering the bar to sing even if a person is not sure of the lyrics.

3. Today's karaoke has provided many titles. Please recall that even the first models tried to offer many titles. Distribution of data using the phone line using audio, which may be called "streaming karaoke", starting in 1992, and then "online karaoke" which used broadband communication technology, replaced the earlier distribution method for song titles (delivery and exchange of physical media). Thus there is a great chance that the karaoke machine near you has at least a few songs of your repertoire even it is very esoteric and/or old songs. This makes karaoke very approachable to people of all ages and all walks of life.

4. Also, as people who have tried karaoke can testify, singing to tunes has a stress releasing effect. So, many people naturally tend to try it if there is an opportunity repeatedly. Many karaoke night functions at IEEE events are testament to this observation. And the people world over have tried it for the same reason and will try it again.

The elements explained in the section, "Early Karaoke machine and its elements", are the basis of the first three appeals.

The fourth appeal above may not be built-in the karaoke machine. Rather it is built in the human nature, and the anecdotal story of how Shigeichi Negishi came up with the idea of the original karaoke machine attests to that. [5b]

Supporting texts and citations to establish the dates, location, and importance of the achievement: Minimum of five (5), but as many as needed to support the milestone, such as patents, contemporary newspaper articles, journal articles, or chapters in scholarly books. 'Scholarly' is defined as peer-reviewed, with references, and published. You must supply the texts or excerpts themselves, not just the references. At least one of the references must be from a scholarly book or journal article. All supporting materials must be in English, or accompanied by an English translation.

References

[1] "Table, A History of KARAOKE" (in Japanese). pp. 20-35, All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association, 1999.

[Remarks] The format is different, but the content is the same as Reference [2] below.

[2] All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association; "How to understand History table, A History of KARAOKE" (in Japanese)

Retrieved 15 September 2024 https://www.karaoke.or.jp/03nenpyo/

[Remarks] The format is different, but the content is the same as Reference [1] above.

[3] All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association; "Table, A History of KARAOKE" (in Japanese), https://www.karaoke.or.jp/03nenpyo/03_02.php Retrieved 15 September 2024

[Remarks] "The beginning of the karaoke business. From its birth to the heyday of the 8-track era In less than 40 years since its birth, the karaoke industry has developed into an industry worth more than 600 billion yen. Here, I would like to trace the history of karaoke through the conversion of hardware and software. In the early 1970s, a microphone jack was attached to a small 8-track jukebox with a built-in coin box, which had been mainly used as a background music player for light music until then. Then, Mr. Shigeichi Negishi (Nichiden Kogyo) and others proposed a service for singing using light music tapes and other materials to a small jukebox, and a precursor to karaoke appeared. (Lines 1-6 of the text)

[4a] "Roundtable Discussion, A History of KARAOKE" (in Japanese). pp. 6-13, All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association. 1999.

[Remarks] Six executives and experts of the All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association talk about the origins of Karaoke (6 pages, participants and photos).

Note: [4b] and [4c] also refer to this reference. English translation of the Roundtable Discussion was sent to history commitee by e-mai.

[Remarks] Attendees at roundtable discussion (Photo: Left to Right): Tadahiko Hoshi (President, Daiichikosho), Hiroshi Iinuma(President, Victor Leisure System), Shonosuke Kezuka(President, Nisshodenki), Yuichi Yasutomo(Exective Director, Xing), Hiroshi Betsumiya(President, Taikan), Shiro Kataoka(Executive Director, All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association).

[Remarks] (a) Shonosuke Kezuka said: "Mr. Mitsuyoshi Hamasu of Kokusai Shohin Co., Ltd. was selling a small jukebox called the Sparco Box in a flashy manner around 1970" (p. 5, right column, lines 5-7)

(b) Shiro Kataoka said: "However, I heard that there was another inventor. At the time, the radio program “Uta no Nai Kayokyoku” (Songs without Songs) was popular, and Mr. Shigeichi Negishi of Nichiden Kogyo borrowed the program's open reel tape from the broadcasting station, recorded it onto an 8-track tape, and made a small jukebox with a built-in car stereo player, which he took to Mr. Hamasu's company along with the tape." (Page 5, right, lines 8-16)

[4b] "Roundtable Discussion, A History of KARAOKE" (in Japanese), pp.6-13, All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association. 1999.

[Remarks] Hiroshi Betsumiya said: "From 1970 to 1971, Mr. Yamashita came across a small jukebox with a microphone in Tokyo, and he had 2,000 or 3,000 of them made and brought them back to Kyushu. I bought my first machine from Mr. Yamashita." (p. 6, right, lines 14-18)

[Mr. Yamashita brought about 1000 of these machines called Harps to Kobe, and I bought 100 of them in February 1971. ] (Page 7, left, lines 11-15).

Note: English translation of the Roundtable Discussion was sent to history commitee by e-mai.

[4c] "Roundtable Discussion, A History of KARAOKE" (in Japanese), pp.6-13, All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association. 1999.

[Remarks] Mr. Yasutomo said in proposers' translation: "Listening to you talk, I realized once again just how deep the history of karaoke really is.

Online karaoke (The proposer's comment: this should be translated into 'streaming karaoke' based on the comment of the reviewer, Matt Alt.) first appeared in 1992. We entered the industry at this point.

At the time, we were setting up a system for the network distribution of content. We had a plan to sell music data, and after completing the copyright procedures, including JASRAC royalties, we decided to try it out as a test case. While searching for a way to supply a lot of data, we hit on the idea that it could be applied to karaoke. After investigating, we found that the market was huge. I thought, “This could work.” "

Note: English translation of the Roundtable Discussion was sent to history commitee by e-mai.

[5a] " Testimonies of History, A History of KARAOKE" (in Japanese). p. 14, All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association, 1999.

Retrieved 15 September 2024 https://www.karaoke.or.jp/03nenpyo/shogen2.php#hashimoto

[Remarks] Fumiro Hashimoto's testimony: "In 1951, we broadcast a radio program called "Kayo Song without Songs," which became a long-running program that continues to this day. Karaoke software has its roots in the MMO (Music Minus One) used in the show. (p. 14, title and text summary).

[Additional Note] The testimony was made in 1999. The radio program ceased its airing in September 2023, ending its history of 72 years.

The full text in English translation by the proposers of [5a], [5b], [5c], [5d], [5e], and [5e] is sent to history committee by e-mail.

[5b] "A History of KARAOKE" (in Japanese). p. 15, All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association, 1999.

Retrieved 15 September 2024 https://www.karaoke.or.jp/03nenpyo/shogen2.php#negishi

[Remarks] Shigeichi Negishi's testimony: "Around 1967, I devised a three-piece karaoke set consisting of a device with a microphone, a tape, and a lyric card, and brought it to Mr. Hamasu, the chairman of Kokusai Shohin" (p. 15, summary of title and text).

[5c] "Testimonies of History, A History of KARAOKE" (in Japanese). p. 16, All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association, 1999.

Retrieved 15 September 2024 https://www.karaoke.or.jp/03nenpyo/shogen2.php#hamasu

[Remarks] Mitsuyoshi Hamasu's testimony: "In 1967, I started selling small jukeboxes from the trading company 'Kokusai Shohin'" (p. 16, summary of title and text).

[5d] " Testimonies of History, A History of KARAOKE" (in Japanese). p. 17, All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association, 1999.

Retrieved 15 September 2024 https://www.karaoke.or.jp/03nenpyo/shogen2.php#hamazaki

[Remarks] Testimony of Mamoru Hamasaki who is son of Iwao Hamasaki: "From 1968, Iwao Hamasaki began selling small jukeboxes from Music Osaka" (p. 17, summary of title and text).

[5e] " Testimonies of History, A History of KARAOKE" (in Japanese). p. 18, All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association, 1999.

Retrieved 15 September 2024 https://www.karaoke.or.jp/03nenpyo/shogen2.php#inoue

[Remarks] Daisuke Inoue's testimony: "In 1971, I devised the first karaoke machine for commercial use and began renting it to commercial stores" (p. 18, summary of title and text).
[Note] The "first" was "first to Mr. Inoue. He did not know that Shigeichi Negishi created the karaoke machine four years before.

[5f] " Testimonies of History, A History of KARAOKE" (in Japanese). p. 19, All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association, 1999.

Retrieved 15 September 2024 https://www.karaoke.or.jp/03nenpyo/shogen2.php#shinmi

[Remarks] Kenji Niimi's testimony (colleague of Toshiharu Yamashita): "In 1968, I started karaoke sales activities with Toshiharu Yamashita of Taiyo Records Kansai" (p. 19, summary of title and text).

[6a] Ugaya, Hiromichi (2008). “Karaoke Secret History – world revolution of ingenuity” (in Japanese). Shinchosha Publishing, p. 24, pp.48-56, ISBN 978-4106102929.

[Remarks] Referring to Reference [1] and [3], he interviews Shigeichi Negishi himself (pp. 48-56). From them, the author concludes that "Shigeichi Negishi is the inventor of karaoke" (p. 24, lines 3-6). Shigeichi Negishi said in an interview that he "sold 2,000 units himself from 1967 to 1975" (p. 54, lines 10-13).

[6b] Ugaya, Hiromichi (2008). “Karaoke Secret History – world revolution of ingenuity” (in Japanese). Shinchosha Publishing, p. 25, ISBN 978-4106102929.

[Remarks] The author actually saw a karaoke machine made by Shigeichi Negishi and confirmed that it was equipped with a "Coin Timer", which is a billing device. In other words, he was the first person to commercialize karaoke. (Page 25, lines 5-7)

[6c] Ugaya, Hiromichi (2008). “Karaoke Secret History – world revolution of ingenuity” (in Japanese). Shinchosha Publishing, p. 60, ISBN 978-4106102929.

[Remarks] Iwao Hamasaki released "PETTY JUKE" in Tokyo in January 1971. (Page 60, lines 1-3)

[6d] Ugaya, Hiromichi (2008). “Karaoke Secret History – world revolution of ingenuity” (in Japanese). Shinchosha Publishing, p. 58, ISBN 978-4106102929.

[Remarks] Toshiharu Yamashita released "Harp" in Fukuoka in 1971. In 1973, the Ohka-mini was released. (p. 57, lines 13-15).

[6e] Ugaya, Hiromichi (2008). “Karaoke Secret History – world revolution of ingenuity” (in Japanese). Shinchosha Publishinp. 41, ISBN 978-4106102929.

[Remarks] Daisuke Inoue released "8 JUKE" in Kobe in January 1971. (pp. 41, pp. 5-6)

[6f] Ugaya, Hiromichi (2008). “Karaoke Secret History – world revolution of ingenuity” (in Japanese). Shinchosha Publishing, p. 56, ISBN 978-4106102929.

[Remarks] Shigeichi Negishi explains why he did not obtain a patent. He explained that it took 200,000 to 300,000 yen in money at the time to obtain a patent, and that it took three years for the procedure to proceed. (p. 56, lines 8-10).

[7] 'Selection from TOP 100 Japanese Innovations of "Karaoke"' (PDF). IP Friends Connections. December 2015 No. 11: 53. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 January 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2019.

[8a] Alt, Matt (2021). Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World. Crown. pp. 84–90, pp. 98-100, ISBN 978-1-9848-2671-8.

[Remarks] It describes how Shigeichi Negishi conceived, manufactured, and sold karaoke.

[8b] Alt, Matt (2021). Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World. Crown. pp. 75-77, p. 84, pp. 90-92, pp. 98-99, pp. 154-155, ISBN 978-1-9848-2671-8.

[Remarks] It describes how Daisuke Inoue manufactured and sold karaoke.

[9] Alt, Matt (14 March 2024). "Shigeichi Negishi, the Inventor of Karaoke, Dies at 100". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 14 March 2024.

[Remarks] An article in the Wall Street Journal that Shigeichi Negishi died on January 26, 2024 at the age of 100.

[10] Jones, Daniel (2011). Roach, Peter; Setter, Jane; Esling, John (eds.). Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (18th ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-15255-6.

[11] "The Man Who Invented Karaoke Is 95 And His Machine Still Works". kotaku.com. 26 June 2020.

Retrieved 15 September 2024: https://kotaku.com/the-man-who-invented-karaoke-is-95-and-his-machine-stil-1844154550

[Remarks] Proposers confirmed that a karaoke machine he made is still in existence and operational, as of September 2024.

[12] The Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation: “Karaoke, Innovation 100”, 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2024: https://www.koueki.jiii.or.jp/innovation100/innovation_detail.php?eid=00023&test=open&age=high-growth

[Remarks] In 2016, The Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation selected 100 inventions from postwar Japan. Karaoke was chosen as one of them, and it was also selected as one of the top 10 among them.

Background of The Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation
( http://www.jiii.or.jp/english/history.html )

In 1904, "the Association for the Protection of Industrial Property" was established.
In 1910, it changed the name to Imperial Institute of Invention and Innovation.
In 1947, the name was further changed to Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation (JIII).
In 2012, JIII was divided into JIII of today, meant for non-profit activity, and JIPII for profit activity

Why JIII produced the selectoin of Hundred Inventions in the Post-War Japan. ( https://www.koueki.jiii.or.jp/innovation100/about.php )

We quote the first two paragraphs from the above page. English translation comes first. The original Japanese follows.

English translation by the proposers:

About the “100 Innovations of Post-War Japan”
In 2014, the Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation celebrated its 110th anniversary. To commemorate the occasion, it had begun selecting innovations that have grown in Japan since the end of the Second World War and have made major contributions the development of the country's industrial economy. The Selection Subcommittee and Selection Committee conducted the necessary deliberations by considering the results of questionnaires to the general public and experts, and in June 2014, the first round of selections, thirty eight of them, was announced, including the top 10 innovations from the questionnaire vote.
Since then, we have continued to deliberate and have now completed our work, so we would like to announce all the innovations (105) selected for this project.
June 15, 2016
Definition of Innovation
The definition of innovation for this project is as follows “An economic activity that brings about significant historical and social change through the creation of something new, and that has the potential for international deployment. The target is not limited to inventions, but also includes business models and projects, and it also includes foreign inventions that have developed significantly in Japan.”

Original Japanese:

「戦後日本のイノベーション100選」について
　発明協会は平成26年(2014年)創立110周年を迎えたことから、これを記念し、戦後日本で成長を遂げ、我が国産業経済の発展に大きく寄与したイノベーションを選定する事業を進めて参りました。選定にあたっては、一般並びに有識者へのアンケートの結果等を参考に選定小委員会及び選定委員会において所要の審議を行い、平成26年６月に第１回の選定として、アンケート投票トップ10を含む38イノベーションを既に発表したところであります。
　その後も引き続き検討を重ね、この度、作業が完了しましたので、本事業において選定された全てのイノベーション（105件）をここに発表いたします。
平成28年6月15日
イノベーションの定義
　本事業におけるイノベーションの定義は以下のとおりです。　「経済的な活動であって、その新たな創造によって、歴史的社会的に大きな変革をもたらし、その展開が国際的、或いはその可能性を有する事業。その対象は発明に限らず、ビジネスモデルやプロジェクトを含み、またその発明が外来のものであっても、日本で大きく発展したものも含む。」

Reference to IEEE Milestone: It is interesting to note that there is a description regarding IEEE Milestone in the cited "Hundred Inventions in the Post-War Japan".
They are the last two paragraphs of the above webpage.

Here are the English transaltion of the last two paragrahs and byline, and the Japanese original follows.

English Translation by the proposers.

The “100 Innovations in Post-War Japan” project has been implemented with the aim of exploring the ideal form of commendation system that would be effective in inspiring such innovations. What I have felt through implementing the 100 Innovations project is that most major innovations are made after a certain amount of time has passed and with the participation of many people, and that it takes a reasonable amount of time to evaluate them. There are already many prestigious awards for inventions, including the Imperial Invention Award from the Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation. In addition, the Japan Service Awards system will be launched this year in 2016. Therefore, it is fair to say that award systems for the fields of “invention” and “service”, which make up innovation, are being established. For this reason, I think that projects such as the “Milestone” program, which is an award system managed by the American Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), should be considered in the future, where products that have had a significant impact on society internationally over a suitable period of time are admitted to the “Hall of Innovation”.
Innovation is about a product or service that generates a strong sense of empathy. In this sense, induction into the “Innovation Hall of Fame” is a way of recognizing innovations that have generated a strong sense of empathy among the public after a suitable period of time has passed, and it could be said that it is a kind of national honor for industrialists or companies. I hope that the “100 Innovations of Post-War Japan” will be reviewed after a certain appropriate time, and that it will be used as one of the candidate proposals for an award system that recognizes the various creative ideas that have emerged from Japan.
June 15th, 2016 Ikujiro Nonaka Chairman of the Selection Committee for the “100 Innovations of Post-War Japan” Professor Emeritus, Hitotsubashi University,

Original Japanese:

　「戦後日本のイノベーション100選」事業は、このようなイノベーションを鼓舞するのに有効な顕彰制度の在り方を探ることを目的として実施されてきた。100選事業を実施して感じるのは、大きなイノベーションの大半はそれなりに時間を経てかつ次第に多くの人々の参加のもとになされるものであり、その評価には相応の時間を要するということである。発明に関する顕彰制度は、既に発明協会の恩賜発明賞をはじめ権威あるものが多く存在する。また、本年2016年からは「日本サービス大賞」制度が発足することとなった。したがって、イノベーションを構成する「発明」と「サービス」分野での顕彰制度は整備されつつあると言ってよいだろう。それだけにアメリカ電子電気学会が認定している顕彰制度「マイルストーン」制度のように相応の年数を経て社会的、国際的に大きなインパクトを与えたものに「イノベーションの殿堂」入りを認める事業などが今後検討されるべきではないかと思う。
　イノベーションとはその商品、サービスが大きな共感をもたらすことである。その意味で「イノベーションの殿堂」入りは国民の共感を呼んできたイノベーションをしかるべき時間を置いて顕彰するものであり、いわば産業人、あるいは企業の国民栄誉賞ともなるべきものである。「戦後日本のイノベーション100選」は、さらに時機を見て見直し、日本発のさまざまな創意工夫を表彰する顕彰制度にかかわる候補案の一つとしてこれを活用される日が来ることを期待している。
　　　　　平成２８年６月１５日「戦後日本のイノベーション100選」選定委員会委員長一橋大学名誉教授　　　野中　郁次郎

Coming back to the recoginition of karaoke as among the 100 Innovations in the Post-War Japan, the JIII had this to say. (The first paragraph of https://www.koueki.jiii.or.jp/innovation100/innovation_detail.php?eid=00023 )

English Translation by the proposers:

Overview
Karaoke is a recreational activity in which pre-recorded accompaniment is played and people sing or play along with it. According to the All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association, the number of people who participate in karaoke is estimated to be 46.8 million as of 2012, making it one of the main pastimes for Japanese people (Figure 1). The karaoke industry has grown since the 1960s thanks to the inventions and ingenuity of many people.

Original Japanese:

概要
　カラオケは、事前に録音された伴奏を再生し、その演奏に合わせて合唱・合奏するレクリエーションである。全国カラオケ事業者協会によれば、カラオケ参加人口は2012年現在4680万人と推計されており、日本人にとって、主要な娯楽の一つとなっている（図１）。このようなカラオケ産業は、 1960年代から多数の人々の発明や創意工夫によって成長してきた。

[13] "The History of Karaoke in America". Karaoke Cloud. 12 April 2013.

Retrieved 15 September 2024: https://karaokecloud.wordpress.com/2013/04/12/the-history-of-karaoke-in-america/

[Remarks] Please be warned that this aritcle adopted a different view of who the first Japanese inventor of Karaoke is, other than Negishi. But the article explains very well the thorny copyright issues surrounding Karaoke that caused the demise of early North American Karaoke operators. These copyright issues are tackled head-on in Japan by All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Assocation (See Appendix.)

[14] All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association: "Karaoke White Paper".

[Remarks] The Karaoke White Paper is published annually. An excerpt (in Japanese) from the latest “Karaoke White Paper 2024 Edition” can be read at the following URL: https://www.karaoke.or.jp/05hakusyo/

[15] D. Taylor, "Focus: Distributed multimedia for a song," in IEEE Parallel & Distributed Technology: Systems & Applications, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 8-9, Winter 1996, doi: 10.1109/88.544434.

[Remarks] This column article describes the sudden popularity of online Karaoke in USA after it reached there from Japan. It discusses the demand for efficient distribution of karaoke data in the nascent broadband internet connection of the time and lists a few references including [16]. As noted in the [Remarks] section of [16], since the storage and network technology has changed very much since the 1990s, the difference makes the discussion in [15] and [16] a bit arcane to today's readers and the old technology of the time used different assumption behind how Karaoke venue operates. So the description in [15] and [16] may not quite fit today's usage scenario of online Karaoke accessed by home users and the closed Karaoke venue of various sizes (you can find venues where more than 30 karaoke rooms are located inside a single building in Tokyo.)

[16] Wei-Hsin Tseng and Jau-Hsiung Huang, "A high performance video server for karaoke systems," in IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics, vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 329-336, Aug. 1994, doi: 10.1109/30.320812

[Remarks] The storage technology of the 1990s and today's technology are so different that assumption behind this paper's method looks arcane to today's readers. For example, the paper discusses the use of 2GB disks while typical consumer hard disks are measured in a few TBs today, a difference of factor of 1000. Important point is that the popularity of Karaoke in the 1990s prompted serious computer scientists to explore efficient methods to distribute Karaoke data to the clients.

[17] Hovicare Excelence in Elderly Care, Working with the elderly and how to make your day together successful: Karaoke
Available online: https://hovicare.com/blog/2023/10/26/karaoke/

[18] Greenacres - Adult Day Care - Have Fun With Karaoke Singing: 3 Major Benefits For The Elderly Avialable online: http://www.greenacresadultdaycare.com/fun-karaoke-singing-3-major-benefits-elderly

[19] Miyazaki A, Mori H. Frequent Karaoke Training Improves Frontal Executive Cognitive Skills, Tongue Pressure, and Respiratory Function in Elderly People: Pilot Study from a Randomized Controlled Trial. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Feb 24;17(4):1459. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17041459. PMID: 32102472; PMCID: PMC7068312.

[20] L.E. Maguire, P.B. Wanschura, M.M. Battaglia, S.N. Howell, J.M. Flinn Participation in active singing leads to cognitive improvements in individuals with dementia J Am Geriatr Soc, 63 (2015), pp. 815-816

[Remarks] This discusses the effect of Karaoke on people who are suffering from demetia

[21] M. Satoh, T. Yuba, K. Tabei, Y. Okubo, H. Kida, H. Sakuma, et al. Music therapy using singing training improves psychomotor speed in patients with Alzheimer's disease: a neuropsychological and fMRI study

[Remarks] This paper discusses the effect of Karaoke (singing training) on people with Alzheimer's desease.

[22] Teppo Särkämö, Cognitive, emotional, and neural benefits of musical leisure activities in aging and neurological rehabilitation: A critical review, Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Volume 61, Issue 6, 2018, Pages 414-418, ISSN 1877-0657, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rehab.2017.03.006. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877065717300465)
Abstract: Music has the capacity to engage auditory, cognitive, motor, and emotional functions across cortical and subcortical brain regions and is relatively preserved in aging and dementia. Thus, music is a promising tool in the rehabilitation of aging-related neurological illnesses, such as stroke and Alzheimer disease. As the population ages and the incidence and prevalence of these illnesses rapidly increases, music-based interventions that are enjoyable and effective in the everyday care of the patients are needed. In addition to formal music therapy, musical leisure activities, such as music listening and singing, which patients can do on their own or with a caregiver, are a promising way to support psychological well-being during aging and in neurological rehabilitation. This review article provides an overview of current evidence on the cognitive, emotional, and neural effects of musical leisure activities both during normal aging and in the rehabilitation and care of stroke patients and people with dementia.

[23] Historical timeline explained (歴史年表解説 in Japanese), by All Japan Karakoe Industrialist Assocation Availabe online at: https://www.karaoke.or.jp/03nenpyo/03_02.php

The fourth paragraph describes the rise of "streaming karaoke" in 1992, later "online karaoke". Here is the English translation by the proposers and then the original Japanese follows.

English Translation by the proposers:

The distribution of karaoke data over the phone, a product made possible by multimedia approach

In 1992, karaoke over the phone line appeared. Initially, like other karaoke system, it started with a lineup of around 3000 songs. But as the number of songs increased, it gained a reputation for (1) its large repetoire of songs, (2) the fast speed with which new releases were made available, and (3) its physical compactness, and this helped it to be accepted widely. Coincidently, the storage capacity of the LD autochanger, which had been the mainstay of karaoke hardware boxes up until that point, had reached its limit, and the time for either adding or replacing hardware was arriving. This situation also helped to boost the popularity of the system of karaoke over the phone line. The term “multimedia” had become popular in the society, and karaoke, considered as interactive service with the singer, was called the only product that embodied multimedia. With the rise in demand for karaoke boxes, manufacturers from other industries entered the market and existing manufacturers began development of karaoke over communication line one after another.

In 1995, all involved manufacturers (15 companies/10 systems) had released their products, and the age of streaming karaoke arrived. The number of steraming karaoke units shipped that year was 104,000, accounting for around 80% of all shipments. Streaming karaoke continued to evolve, and by 1998 it accounted for 94% of all units shipped in a single year.

Original Japanese:

マルチメディアが具現化した商品、通信カラオケの普及
'92年、通信カラオケが登場する。当初、他のカラオケソフトと同様、約3000曲のラインアップでスタートした新メディアは、その後の増曲を機に(1) 曲数の多さ、(2) 新譜リリースの早さ、(3) コンパクトさなどが評価され、普及に拍車がかかる。それまでカラオケボックスの主役だったLDオートチェンジャーのソフト収納容量が限界となり、ハードの追加、交換時期と合致したことも同システムの普及を後押しする要因となった。世間では「マルチメディア」という言葉が流行し、双方向性を持つ通信カラオケはマルチメディアが唯一具現化した商品と称され、ボックス需要の高まりとともに他業種からのメーカー参入と既存メーカーの開発着手が相次ぐ。

'95年には、すべてのメーカー(15社/10システム)の商品が出揃い、通信カラオケ時代を迎える。この年の通信カラオケ出荷台数は10万4000台。全出荷の約80％に当たる。その後も通信カラオケは進化を重ね、'98年度には単年度出荷の94％を占めるに至っている。

Appendix: All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association

Since this application owes a lot to the investigation of the All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association, a short explanation of its overview is presented here.

The All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association (JKA for short) is an industry organization made up of the major players in the karaoke market, who provide products and services. It was established in 1994. It is currently a general incorporated association (defined by Japanese law.).

Its membership roaster, which is not open at this time unfortunately, is basically the Who’s Who of Japan’s Karaoke industry.

Its activity is explained in its website.: https://www.karaoke.or.jp/

The translation by the proposers is provided in Appendix-1 Overview, and Appendix-2 Activities. (In one of the projects mentioned for this year fiscal year 2024, it is mentioned that the membership roaster will be published on a website to accredit its member as the member of JKA.)

For the past four years, we have been taking measures to prevent the spread of infectious diseases in karaoke activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. It should be noted that JKA cooperates with other organizations such as JKBA (https://www.jkba.or.jp/), an association of the Karaokebox operators, and KUA（Karaoke Users Association, https://www.kua.or.jp/) consisting of of voice and song trainers, etc. and promotes life-long learning and cultural promotion that use Karaoke venue facilities, and solving many issues that surround Karaoke activities in general.

Also, JKA tackles the difficult copyright issues head-on by working with JASRAC (https://www.jasrac.or.jp/), a large organization that represents the copyright holders of music in Japan, and offers training and seminars to raise the awareness of copyright laws and regulations related to the use of music in entertainment industry.

JKA, as the largest industry association of its kind in the Karaoke industry is serious in promoting Karaoke industry and Karaoke entertainment as the following pages (Appendix-1 and Appendix-2) show. That it has recognized Mr. Negishi as the inventor of the first Karaoke machine after its survey and testimonies from people in the early days of the Karaoke industry is very important. JKA decided that Mr. Negishi is the first inventor of the Karaoke machine based on the facts they found through the survey and hearings

In the following, English translation by the proposers of the web pages of JKA, “Overview”, and “Activities” are given. This is not an official translation, but meant for the IEEE Milestone application. The translation was done by DeepL (www.deepl.com) and then manually edited to correct obvious incorrect mistranslations and to make the sentences easier to read.

Appendix 1: JKA Overview

The following is an English translation of the main text of “Overview” page of JKA’s website https://www.karaoke.or.jp/01gaiyo/

What is ALL-JAPAN KARAOKE INDUSTRIALIST ASSOCIATION?

A network to unite the Karaoke dealers in Japan

The karaoke industry has achieved remarkable growth over the past quarter century, and has established a firm foothold as a core part of the amusement industry.

However, at the same time, it is also true that various problems are being raised due to the increasing complexity of distribution methods, rapid technological innovation, and the expansion of the industry. It can be said that the industry is truly in need of creating a system that allows it to tackle these issues as a united front.

In October 1994, All Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association (JKA) was established as the first national association of karaoke operators, and began working to improve the status of operators and promote the orderly development of the industry. The association promotes various projects and works to improve communication between members, and is a driving force for the development of the industry.

Name

ALL-JAPAN KARAOKE INDUSTRIALIST ASSOCIATION （JKA）, a general incorporated association

Purpose

The purpose of this association is to improve the management of businesses involved in the sales and rental of karaoke equipment, to contribute to the establishment of order in the karaoke industry and the sound development of an information-based society, and to contribute to the promotion of the cultural life of the citizens and the promotion of public welfare, and to carry out the following business.

Main activities

1. Research and study into sales and rental transactions of karaoke equipment

2. Research and guidance into business management improvement for businesses involved in sales and rental transactions of karaoke equipment

3. Research and study into the karaoke industry

4. Implementation of projects that lead to the sound development of the karaoke industry

5. Holding of study groups and seminars related to businesses involved in sales and rental transactions of karaoke equipment

6. Publication of books and journals related to the karaoke industry and related industries

7. Public test release and use of new products and holding of various exhibitions to improve and vitalize technologies and marketing of karaoke equipment and related products

8. Exchange of information with karaoke-related organizations and co-hosting of various events

9. Support for cultural activities and international exchange through karaoke

10. Research and educational activities related to the music copyright laws and related regulations

11. Cooperation with karaoke-related policies implemented by the responsible government agencies

12. Related projects incidental to the preceding items

Appendix 2: JKA Activities

This is an English translation of the main Activity page of All Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association (JKA). (The page was recorded in September, 2024. It has evolved much since then.)

The Japan Karaoke Business Association carries out a variety of activities throughout the year in the hope of further promoting and developing karaoke, a Japanese cultural form that the world can be proud of.

Efforts to combat infectious diseases

On May 25, 2020, the three organizations (JKA, JKBA, and KUA) collaborated to formulate the “Guidelines for Preventing the Spread of Infection with the Novel Coronavirus in Karaoke Boxes and Other Places for Eating and Drinking that Accompany Singing” (revised on June 4, 2021; revised on November 9th revision. 16th revision on December 16th, 2022. 6th revision on March 6th, 2023). The “Guidelines Implementation Declaration Sticker” was issued on July 27th (2020) The “Let's Go to Karaoke!” project, which aims to protect karaoke in Japan, was launched on December 1st. The “GoTo Karaoke” campaign was implemented in 2022. The karaoke industry is working on measures to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

JKA member stickers are issued and standardized contract documents are created and distributed.

The stickers are created as proof of membership of the association. Five different sizes are available. In addition, standardized format contract documents such as “Lease Agreements” and “Property Slip” are created and distributed, and projects are implemented that lead to the sound management of members.

Business discussion meetings are held in various locations

Business discussion meetings are held in each prefecture under the jurisdiction of each branch, and in areas that have been further subdivided. Meetings and information exchanges are held on themes related to the various issues that each region faces.

October 17th “Karaoke Culture Day” was recognized as a commemorative day

. We applied to the Japan Anniversary Association to register October 17th, the anniversary of the founding of our association, and it was officially recognized as “Karaoke Culture Day”. Since then, the Cultural Affairs Committee has been playing a central role in supporting cultural activities through karaoke, and holding events such as international cultural exchange through karaoke.

2024 “Karaoke Culture Day” Events List of Events and Publicity by Year

Implementation of measures to revitalize the existing karaoke market

As a measure to revitalize the karaoke box market, we provided the “Karaoke NAVI” store introduction content to mobile phone Internet sites that have the same main users. It was registered as an official content for NTT DoCoMo (i-mode) in July 2001, Vodafone (vodafone live/now Soft Bank) in September 2003, and au (EZ-web) in December 2003. In addition, as a measure to revitalize the bar market, the “Singing Festa” campaign has been held every year since 2003, inviting participants mainly from the customers of the participating bars and presenting them with prizes. Each time, it has attracted more than 100,000 participants. In 2010 and 2011, the campaign was changed to “The Scoring” using karaoke scoring. From 2012 to 2021, the “Sing and be Lucky Campaign” was held to promote the use of paid karaoke in the night market. In addition, the “Photo Chance” campaign was held in 2014. In 2015 and 2016, the “Nice to Meet You Campaign” was also held at the same time to attract new customers. In 2016 and 2017, a new attempt was made with the “Snack de Karaoke Campaign,” a night market awareness campaign using Twitter.

2023 “Market Revitalization” Project

Fiscal Year Market Revitalization Project

Karaoke Engineer Certification Course

A training program called the “Karaoke Engineer Certification Course” was launched with the aim of improving the technical skills and expertise of member company employees. This course was started with the aim of training “audio specialists” in an industry that previously had no certification courses. The course is available in three levels: Level 2, Level 1 and Expert. Successful candidates are issued a “Karaoke Engineer Certificate”. A renewal system will be introduced every three years from 2023 (a transition period for the new system will begin in 2021)

Karaoke copyright seminars and other various seminars will be held

Karaoke copyright seminars and other various seminars and meetings will be held nationwide, providing a forum for business operators to exchange opinions on protecting music copyrights. In 2010, JASRAC introduced a system for certifying managers who set an example for the industry, called the “Music Work License Agreement Application Form Handling Manager Training Completion Certificate”. Those managers who are recognized as being outstanding are given the title of “Outstanding Manager”. The highest level of this system is the “JASRAC Application Form Handling Manager Instructor”, and those who have obtained this title are active in the industry as leaders in the legal use of copyrights.

Holding of karaoke business exchange meetings

Karaoke business exchange meetings are held as a place for information exchange where manufacturers, trading companies and operators involved in the karaoke industry can gather together. They have also become established as New Year's greetings exchange meetings, and at the venue, the current situation and future prospects of the industry are discussed in a friendly atmosphere.

Publication of the JKA-NET and JKA clipping information magazines

JKA-NET, the association's quarterly magazine, is published four times a year (every three months) as a medium for providing information to members. The magazine includes articles on the association's activities, industry information, introductions to new products from member companies, tax and management advice, and more. JKA also provides JKA Clipping Information, a summary of media coverage compiled every three months, as a way of sharing information among members.

JKA Clipping Information will end with Vol. 83 (December-February 2019).

Forum and Symposium

Karaoke Summit in Tokyo

A forum and symposium to explore the ideal form of the karaoke industry in the multimedia age.

Publication of the basic statistical document “Karaoke White Paper”

A nationwide questionnaire survey is conducted targeting manufacturers, businesses, and karaoke parlor users, and the basic statistical data “Karaoke White Paper” (distribution price: 12,000 yen) is published every June, summarizing the market reality of the karaoke industry. This survey is conducted every year with the aim of understanding the current situation of the industry and helping businesses improve their management.

Business seminar “Karaoke Seminar in Tokyo” held

A business seminar “Karaoke Seminar in Tokyo” was held with the aim of revitalizing the existing market and fostering the industry in a healthy way.

Promotion of the proper use of karaoke, and the establishment of various councils and study groups to resolve various issues , and the implementation of subcommittees for each theme

(Promotion of cooperation with the proper use of karaoke promoted by the Japan Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers, and efforts to resolve various issues in the industry through the establishment of various councils and study groups, such as the “Distribution Properness Council”, “Rental Council”, “Rental Problem Study Group”, and “Market Activation Committee”. In addition, subcommittees are held on a timely basis for each theme, such as the “Karaoke Festa Subcommittee” and the “Unified Advertising Promotion Subcommittee”.

Skill-up training

Training programs are held in each branch with the aim of raising the level of the industry. They also contribute to the human resource development of member companies. Past training content

Opening of a snack search site

In 2017, the “Snack de Karaoke Navi” site was opened, which provides free introductions to establishments offering the “3,000 yen flat rate for new customers” service. I'm interested in going to a snack, but I don't know where to go. I don't know what to look up. We have been attracting new customers with these thoughts and promoting the fact that snacks can be used with clear billing. In 2023, when we celebrated our 6th anniversary, we changed the name to “Snackara” and made it into the industry's first app.

[end of appendix]

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