JAPAN: CHAIRMAN OF SONY CORP BOARD OF DIRECTORS NIRO OHGA TREATED IN HOSPITAL AFTER FAINTING SPELL

Record ID: 451760

  • Title: JAPAN: CHAIRMAN OF SONY CORP BOARD OF DIRECTORS NIRO OHGA TREATED IN HOSPITAL AFTER FAINTING SPELL
  • Date: 9th November 2001
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN. (FILE) (REUTERS) 1. MV CHAIRMAN OF SONY CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS NORIO OHGA WITH REKNOWNED CONDUCTOR HERBERT VON KARAJAN 0.05 2. SLV BUILDING; SCU POSTER OF VON KARAJAN IN WINDOW 0.13 4. MV OHGA CONDUCTING JOHANN STRAUSS'S "RADETZY MARCH"; PEOPLE TAKING THE RHYTHM BY CLAPPING HANDS; MV OHGA CONDUCTING (5 SHOTS) 1.03 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 24th November 2001 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
  • Country: Japan
  • Reuters ID: LVA711ON8B0GWFRP1N8BS9Y7KUK5
  • Story Text: Chairman of the Sony Corp board of directors, Norio
    Ohga, is being treated in hospital after suffering a "fainting
    spell" while conducting the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra at
    the Beijing International Festival on Wednesday.

    Ohga, 71, whose position is largely ceremonial, was
    diagnosed with a light subarachnoid haemorrhage after the
    incident on Wednesday (November 7), the Sony spokesman said in
    Tokyo Thursday (November 8, 2001).

    He also said that Ohga was conscious and in a stable condition.

    He added that the company had not heard any information
    that immediate surgery would be necessary, and Ohga would be
    staying at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital in Beijing for
    treatment for the time being.

    Ohga, credited with spearheading Sony's development of the
    compact disc and its push into music and movies in the 1980s,
    became chairman of the Sony board in June 2000.

    The Sony spokesman said Sony is now led by Nobuyuki Idei as
    chief executive officer and Ohga's condition has no direct
    impact on its business.

    Shares in Sony reacted little to the news in Thursday
    morning Tokyo trade, and at 0120 GMT were up 1.06 percent at
    4,760 yen, outperforming a 0.29 percent rise in the key Nikkei
    average.

    Ohga, who gave up a career in opera to join Sony in 1953,
    took a leading role in Sony's development of the CD, which was
    launched with Philips in 1982.

    He was also a central figure in Sony's acquisitions of a
    major record label, CBS Records, and a Hollywood movie studio,
    Columbia Pictures, in the late 1980s.

    Ohga, a noted amateur musician, flew to Beijing on Sunday
    on a Sony aircraft he piloted himself, according to China's
    Xinhua news agency.

    Ohga who serves as board chairman of Tokyo Philharmonic
    Orchestra was scheduled to give two performances, on
    Wednesday and Thursday, at the Beijing music festival, which
    has been under way since October 15.

    He is a graduate of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts
    and Music and served as Sony president from 1989 to 1995.


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