Milestone-Proposal:First Karaoke Machine, 1967

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Docket #:2024-25

This is a draft proposal, that has not yet been submitted. To submit this proposal, click on the edit button in toolbar above, indicated by an icon displaying a pencil on paper. At the bottom of the form, check the box that says "Submit this proposal to the IEEE History Committee for review. Only check this when the proposal is finished" and save the page.


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: Text absolutely limited by plaque dimensions to 70 words; 60 is preferable for aesthetic reasons.

In 1967, Shigeichi Negishi innovated the world’s first karaoke machine. His invention became the origin of modern karaoke, featuring components such as song accompaniment, recorded media, an audio machine that played back and mixed the singing voice collected by the microphone, and a system that allowed the owner to charge the singer. The Karaoke machine he made is still in existence and operation by his family.

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 Industry manufactured and sold the world’s first karaoke machine. This machine included musical accompaniment recorded on 8-track magnetic media, an audio device that could mix the singer’s voice with the accompaniment, and a coin timer that allowed the owner to charge the singer. It was the first karaoke machine and the origin of modern karaoke. Subsequently, karaoke machines were placed in food and beverage establishments such as snack bars and hotel banquet halls, where they were used exclusively as entertainment for sake parties. In the 1980s, with the development of laser discs, it became possible to display lyrics on a screen for the first time, which had previously only been accompanied by music. In the mid-1980s, soundproofed karaoke boxes emerged as a new business model. 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):

Atsumi Takano and Akihiro Negishi

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

GPS Coordinate: N 35.7456831, E 139.7015991

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 Industry" where the inventor Shigeichi Negishi invented and manufactured karaoke machine no longer exists. However, his daughter, Atsumi Takano, and son, Akihiro Negishi, each have built houses and live on the site of the company. The plaque will be placed at the entrance of it.

Are the original buildings extant?

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

Details of the plaque mounting:

The plaque will be displayed at entrance of the house where Shigeichi Negishi's daughter and son live. These houses, face to road, located on the site of his company.

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 his family's house which is accessible to the public with permission.

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

Atsumi Takano who is his daughter and Akihiro Negishi who is his son.

What is the historical significance of the work (its technological, scientific, or social importance)? If personal names are included in citation, include justification here. (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 it to a trading company under the trade name "Music Box". Subsequently, the trading company released his product. Around 1969, it was sold under the name "Sparko Box".

In 1994, when the All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association was established, they investigated the origins of karaoke. 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 origins. They concluded that Shigeichi Negishi was the inventor of karaoke.

Although Shigeichi Negishi invented karaoke on his own, he did not patent it due to the high registration fee and lengthy process4. The first karaoke machine he invented has been preserved by his family.

Historical Significance

Karaoke and its history

Karaoke (/ˌkæriˈoʊki/, Japanese: [kaɾaoke]; カラオケ, clipped compound of Japanese kara “空, empty" and ōkesutora “オーケストラ, orchestra") is a type of interactive entertainment system [10],[20].

The word “karaoke” was originally a term used in the broadcasting industry to refer to music content. It meant that the accompaniment of a song was substituted with a tape instead of a live performance by an orchestra or band. This format originated in Japan. As karaoke became popular as a form of entertainment, various forms of karaoke came to be known by this name.

From the 1960s, an 8-track tape deck, which was popular as a car stereo, was mainly used as a device for singing songs using karaoke. Since the 1980s, laserdiscs, VHDs, video CDs, and DVDs have become popular. 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. With the development of the broadband environment since the 1990s, online karaoke has become mainstream in Japan.

Early Karaoke machine and its components

Karaoke was a new product with different specifications from the jukeboxes that existed at that time. The elements of early karaoke machines are as follows:

(1) Contents: Accompaniment music without the main melody or vocal.

(2) Media: Magnetic recording tape that recorded the contents.

(3) Audio device: A device that can mix the singer’s voice with the accompaniment.

(4) Lyric card: A card with the song title, singer’s name, and lyrics.

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

(5) Mechanism: A system that allows the owner to charge the singer.

(6) Means: Methods by which the seller rents the equipment, collects money, and regularly updates the music.

Shigeichi Negishi; Inventor of Karaoke machine

The first karaoke machine was invented and manufactured by Shigeichi Negishi of Nichiden Industry in October 1967. He sold it to Mitsuyoshi Hamasu of Kokusai Shohin, a trading company with sales channels in restaurants.

Mitsuyoshi Hamasu began selling and leasing the machine to restaurants at the end of 1967. In 1969, it was released under the trade name "Sparko Box". According to an interview3, about 8,000 units of this device were sold between 1967 and 1973.

Photos 1 and 2 show Shigeichi Negishi’s “Sparko Box”.

[Remarks] The proposer confirmed that a karaoke machine made by Negishi is still in existence and operational at Negishi’s home. These four photos were taken by the proposer in September 2024.

Frontview.jpg

Photo 1 Front view of Sparko Box

Sideview.jpg

Photo 2 Side view of Sparko box

This music box (later known as the Sparko Box) incorporated the elements of a karaoke machine described in the section “Early Karaoke Machine and Its Components”:

(1) It contained only 20 tracks of background music.

(2) It had the ability to mix singing voices recorded on an 8-track magnetic tape player.

(3) It featured an audio device that could mix the singer’s voice, collected by a microphone, with the accompaniment, as shown in photo 3.

(4) According to an interview, for the convenience of the singers, he also included a lyric card. Additionally,

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

The proposer confirmed that as of September 2024, the karaoke machine he made is still in existence and operational by his family.

Photo 3 and 4 show the topside of the Sparko Box.

Tone Control.jpg

[Remarks] Top left-side of Sparko Box. Insert port for 8-track tape. Words of “8 TRACK HiFi STEREO MUSIC BOX, VOLUME, BALANCE, TONE, CHANNEL, SELECT” shown on the panel.

Photo 3 Top left-side of Sparko Box of Sparko Box

Coin Timer.jpg

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

Photo 4 Top right-side of Sparko Box

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 restaurants due to the oil shock of the mid-1970s and the demand for new products (singing devices) during the economic downturn. Karaoke, which allows people to sing, eliminated the need to call for an instrument player to accompany with a guitar or accordion. The novelty of singing with a microphone in hand, like a professional singer, quickly gained popularity. Additionally, it became popular because it required less time (shorter billing time) than a mini jukebox and allowed for earning usage fees. In the 1970s, karaoke machines were often placed in snack shops, other food and beverage establishments, and hotel banquet halls. Karaoke was used exclusively as entertainment at sake-drinking tables.

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 had previously only provided accompaniment, 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. These facilities specialized in providing karaoke exclusively, rather than as an ancillary service in bars and cafes.

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, which had spread nationwide, provided a place where people could easily sing, and online karaoke made it possible to distribute new songs quickly. The popularity of karaoke also led to the inclusion of karaoke tracks on CD singles, allowing people to practice karaoke at home without special equipment. Additionally, online karaoke, which began in 1992, became a major driver of broadband communications.

Industrial Impact

In 1994, the All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association 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].

Since the invention of karaoke, there had been no survey of the industry’s actual state. Therefore, in 1999, the Association 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. According to the White Paper, in 1996, when the karaoke box market, which emerged as a new market for 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 developed overseas since the 1980s[B]. Today, Karaoke has spread to more than 30 countries around the world.

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

Overcomes to obstacles

Accompaniment obstacles and solutions

In the past, singers needed to prepare a live orchestra for accompaniment, making it impossible to have accompaniment available anytime and anywhere. Even when singers 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. Additionally, ordinary songs contain the vocal melody or main melody.

Therefore, the accompaniment was recorded in advance on 8-track magnetic tape for car stereo equipment, which was practical at the time. A tape recording of the music for accompaniment was prepared, excluding only the main melody and singing voice. As a result, singers could play back both the audio and its accompaniment anytime, anywhere, using a karaoke device while looking at the lyrics.

Challenges and solutions for dissemination

Karaoke machines at that time were expensive. Therefore, we focused on business use rather than home use and considered leasing in addition to sales. To reduce the burden on purchasers of karaoke equipment, a charging device called the “Coin Timer” was added, allowing singers to pay per use, such as 100 yen for 10 minutes. With these new business models, karaoke machines gradually became popular in business applications.

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 inventor of karaoke at first. At the end of the 20th century, an attempt was made to unravel the history of karaoke, one of the greatest entertainment cultures 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 [ ].

(1) First, the association collected product materials 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.

Karaoke history table.jpg

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.

(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 [ ].

Karaoke DIscussion 1.jpg

[Remarks] 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).

Figure 2: Roundtable discussion

As a result, as mentioned in the section “Early Karaoke Machine and Its Components,” it is now known that Shigeichi Negishi invented the karaoke machine in 1967. The innovator candidates mentioned in the survey were as follows:

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

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

(c) In 1970, “Kikuka” et al. [6d], and in 1971, Yamashita Toshiharu sold the 8-track playback machine “Harp” with a microphone [1],[9],[5f],[4b],[6d].

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.

Comparison on the specifications of early Karaoke machine

The section “Karaoke Machine and Its Components” lists six components 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 components. As a result, the association confirmed that there were no notable differences in specifications. Therefore, the association concluded that Shigeichi Negishi’s karaoke machine holds great value as the first invented machine.

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), 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

[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 (Nidec Industries) 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).

[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(Exective Directoe, All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association).

[Remarks] (a) Shonosuke Kezuka said: "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: "There was another inventor of it, Mr. Shigeichi Negishi of Niden. The open reel of the program was borrowed from a broadcaster and recorded on an 8-track tape. We built a small jukebox that incorporated an 8-track player from a car stereo. I brought the device to Mr. Hamasu's company in October 1967 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: "Toshiharu Yamashita sold small jukeboxes in Kyushu from 1970 to 1971" (p. 6, right, lines 14-18) [Mr. Yamashita came to Kobe in February 1971 to sell it, and I bought 100 of them from him.] (Page 7, left, lines 11-15).

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

[5b] "A History of KARAOKE" (in Japanese). p. 15, All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association, 1999. https://www.karaoke.or.jp/03nenpyo/shogen2.php#hashimoto

[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. https://www.karaoke.or.jp/03nenpyo/shogen2.php#hashimoto

[Remarks] Mitsuyoshi Hamasu's testimony: "In 1967, I started selling small jukeboxes under the name of 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. https://www.karaoke.or.jp/03nenpyo/shogen2.php#hashimoto

[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. https://www.karaoke.or.jp/03nenpyo/shogen2.php#hashimoto

[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).

[5f] " Testimonies of History, A History of KARAOKE" (in Japanese). p. 19, All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association, 1999. https://www.karaoke.or.jp/03nenpyo/shogen2.php#hashimoto

[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 Publishing, p. 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] A newspaper article in the Wall Street Journal that Shigeichi Negishi died on January 26, 2024 at the age of 100.

WSJ-article.jpg

[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.

[19] "The Man Who Invented Karaoke Is 95 And His Machine Still Works". kotaku.com. 26 June 2020. https://kotaku.com/the-man-who-invented-karaoke-is-95-and-his-machine-stil-1844154550

[Remarks] According to Proposer's confermation, the karaoke machine he made is still in existence and operation, as of September 2024.

[A] The Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation: “Karaoke, Innovation 100”, 2016. 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. In this prospectus, there is a description with IEEE Milestone in mind. "It is safe to say that the award system in the fields of 'inventions' and 'services' that constitute innovation is being developed, and for that reason, projects such as the "milestone" system, which is recognized by the Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers of America, should be considered in the future for those that have had a significant impact on society and internationally after a reasonable number of years.

[B] "The History of Karaoke in America". Karaoke Cloud. 12 April 2013. Retrieved 15 September 2024 https://karaokecloud.wordpress.3com/2013/04/12/the-history-of-karaoke-in-america/

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