"Karaoke Pioneer Shigeichi Negishi Passes Away at 100"
Shigeichi Negishi, the inventor of the first commercially-available karaoke machine, has passed away at the age of 100 in Japan. Negishi's "Sparko Box" revolutionized karaoke-like activities by automating sing-alongs, but he faced opposition from performers who saw it as a threat to their jobs. Despite not securing a patent for his invention, Negishi's contribution to the karaoke industry is significant, although many attribute the invention of karaoke to nightclub musician Daisuke Inoue.