Media companies will be able to distribute their old films and shows online that contain images and music whose copyright holders are not known under a new system being considered by the government.
The system would permit secondary use of copyrighted content by media companies with royalty fees paid to a government-designated organization that will manage such fees.
The government hopes the move will help to boost the TV and film industry, by taking advantage of the popularity overseas of Japanese programs and anime.
A review of the copyright system was included in the government's growth strategy action plan, and the proposed system was included in the Intellectual Property Promotion Plan 2021 released by the Intellectual Property Strategy Headquarters, which is headed by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.
The government aims to work out the details by the end of this year, and then revise the Copyright Law and other related laws and regulations.
Under the current system, when TV stations distribute shows online, they need to obtain permission for each piece of music, photos and other copyrighted content used in the show. Sometimes it can be difficult to contact the copyright holders of content used in old shows. It might also be difficult to find the identity of the current copyright holder if the original holder is dead.
Some companies do not distribute content online because of the difficulty in obtaining permission from copyright holders.
Under the proposed system, an organization made up of copyright holders would be designated by the government to manage royalty payments.
TV stations and movie companies contracted with the proposed copyright management organization will be able to pay a royalty fee to use content even if it is not possible to contact copyright holders.
When the copyright holder is eventually identified, the organization will pay the royalty fee from the income it receives from copyright users.
It is not yet clear what the organization would do with fees from copyright users if copyright holders were not identified.
The government is stepping up its efforts to promote and expand Japanese anime and manga overseas, and the new system is part of such efforts.
The market size of the domestic media industry in 2019 was 12.848 trillion yen, exceeding the previous year's figure for the eighth consecutive year, according to a government report on digital content.
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