Former President and Chairman of Sony, Norio Ohga, shown in 1991, holds a disk Mini of Sony in New York. Ohga died Saturday at the age of 81 years of multiple organ failure. Richard Drew/Associated PressOpera singer Norio Ohga complained about the quality of the Sony recorders until he was hired by the company, developed the compact disc and defended his superior.
Love of music led the career of former Sony President and in turn, he transformed the Japanese manufacturer of electronics into a global software and entertainment empire.
The President of the company, and President from 1982 to 1995, Ohga is died Saturday in Tokyo of multiple organ failure, says Sony. He was 81.
The connoisseur of the flambuoyant music led his work through his love of music. Ohga insisted for the CD be designed to 12 centimetres in diameter or 75 minutes, a value of music, to store of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in its entirety.
From the beginning, Ohga acknowledged the potential for superior sound quality of the CD. In the 1970s, when Ohga insisted that CDS would eventually replace Records albums, skeptics scoffed.
Herbert von Karajan, Stevie Wonder and Herbie Hancock in the defence of his Sony digital.
"We are always chasing after things that other companies do key."-Norio Ohga, former head of Sony in 1998 interview
Sony sold first CD in the world in 1982 and CDs away sales of records LP, in the Japan five years later. The specifications are still used today and helped the devices developed since.
"It is no exaggeration to assign the evolution of Sony products audio and video in music, movies and game and the subsequent transformation into a leader world of entertainment to the foresight and vision, Ohga-san" Sony Corp. Chairman and Chief Executive Howard Stringer "."said Saturday, using the Japanese honorific title.
Certain decisions taken during the Presidency of the Ohga, such as the purchase of 3.4 - billions of dollars of Hollywood studios Columbia Pictures, have been criticized as little judicious and expensive at the time. But the focus of the Ohga on music, films and video games as a way to enrich ecommerce has helped create Sony success in his time.
"We are always chasing after things that other companies affect", Ohga said in a 1998 interview with the Associated Press.
"It is a great secret of our success."
Shattering the stereotype of the staid Japanese Executive Ohga has never been shy, her hair carefully smoothed back from its noisy exuding the fiery air yet na?ve artist. His character has added a touch of glamour to the Sony image at a time where the Japan had global ambitions.
An experienced pilot, Ohga sometimes flew the aircraft itself to business trips. A charm, he extolled his roast beef. His hobby crossed on his yacht.
President of the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra since 1999, he continued to lead there are a few times per year. In 1993, he led the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall in charity funded by Sony.
Ohga was often compared to leading a company conducting an orchestra.
"Just as a conductor must work to bring out the best in his orchestra members, a President of the company must draw on the talents of the people in his organization," Ohga said in a 1996 Sony publication.
Sony a began the destruction and poverty after the second world war and is built on the popularity of transistor radios, the Walkman, the TV Trinitron, CD - shaping the history of modern electronics.
Ohga had graduated from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and music in 1953, and University of the Arts Berlin in 1957.
It was set to pursue a career as a baritone opera singer when co-founders Sony Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita, intrigued by its complaints about the sound quality of tape recorders from Sony, the recruits for the company.
He was a leader of Sony, its 30 years a rarity in a Japanese company. He was appointed President of CBS Sony Records in 1970, President of what later became Sony Corp. of America in 1988 and Chief Executive of Sony in 1989. He left the day-to-day business in about 2000.
Ohga had attempted to lead a double life of artist and man of Sony. One day, he asleep from exhaustion in the backstage of the scene until they go in the marriage of Figaro, rushed in from the wrong direction and looked embarrassed colleagues stifle laughter.
He abandoned his career as an opera but still promoted classical music to the Japan supporting concerts and young musicians.
The company said that it was key in the construction of the Sony brand, working on the design, as well as the quality, manufacture products which seemed attractive to consumers.
Sony has encountered difficulties in recent years, lagging behind in the market of televisions flat rivals such as Samsung Electronics Co., South Korea, and digital music players to Apple Inc..
It is unique in having a Hollywood studio, a music recording business and PlayStation video games unit, although critics note he performs never fully the benefits of owning the electronics and entertainment divisions.
Ohga is survived by his wife, Midori. Sony said that a private wake will be held later.
Accessibility links