ESPER Laboratory (Sony Corporation)
From Kook Science
The ESPER Laboratory (Extra-Sensory Perception and Excitation Research) was a four-member working group, led by Yoichiro Sako (佐古 曜一郎), that existed under the auspices of Sony Group Corporation (SONY)'s Research Institute of Wisdom and later the Research and Development Division, being operational from 1989 through 1998. Per the name, it was primarily interested in the study of extrasensory perception as well as qi, and sought to cultivate relationships with individuals thought to be capable of ESP.
Press Coverage
- Parry, Richard Lloyd (11 Oct. 1995), "Sony senses a market in ESP", Independent (independent.co.uk), https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/sony-senses-a-market-in-esp-1577154.html
- Landers, Peter (AP) (12 Nov. 1995), "Sony Funds Controversial ESP Study: Japan: Employee of electronics giant disparages ‘traditional science’ that made firm a fortune as he looks into spoon-bending and ‘seeing’ into closed canisters. Critics are outraged.", Los Angeles Times (latimes.com), https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-11-12-mn-2130-story.html
- Pollack, Andrew (28 Nov. 1995), "Way Beyond the Balance Sheet; In Japan, the Supernatural Is Often a Business Tool", New York Times (nytimes.com): D-1, https://www.nytimes.com/1995/11/28/business/way-beyond-the-balance-sheet-in-japan-the-supernatural-is-often-a-business-tool.html
- Kotler, Steven (Aug. 1996), "ESP: Extra Sony Perception", Wired (wired.com), https://www.wired.com/1996/09/esp-extra-sony-perception/
- York, Vickie (17 Apr. 2001), "ESP STUNNER! People really can read minds — & 7-year study proves it", Weekly World News, https://books.google.com/books?id=cfADAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA43