Opera-singing Sony president to build concert hall

Norio Ohga, the former president and chairman of Japanese electronics and entertainment giant Sony, is donating his 1.6 bn yen (€11.6m) in retirement pay to build a concert hall in a resort city.

Mr Ohga, 73, who gave up a successful career as an opera singer to join Sony but continued to conduct orchestras, will donate the cash he receives after taxes to build the concert hall in Karuizawa, a ski resort in Nagano Prefecture, north west of Tokyo, officials said.

The concert hall will be built in a park within walking distance of Karuizawa station, and Ohga will pick the architect.

Mr Ohga’s retirement package, sizeable by Japanese standards, still needs approval at a June 20 shareholders meeting.

Sony has said the package reflects Mr Ohga’s contributions to the company.