Nippon Columbia announced on Sunday that Isao Tomita, the composer who pioneered use of the synthesizer in music arrangements, has died from chronic heart failure at the age of 84.
A private funeral for Tomita is being held on Sunday and Monday with family members in attendance.
While still a student, Tomita began working on music programs created by public broadcaster NHK.
During a visit to Osaka in 1969, Tomita encountered the Moog III-C modular synthesizer at an imported records store.