Kaneda Copyright Agency {top}
Copyright FAQ {top}
{FAQ} What is a work?
Under
the copyright Act, the term “work” means “a creatively produced expression of
thoughts or sentiments that falls within the literary, academic, artistic, or
musical domain.”
Given
the definition of a “work” mentioned above, a work that is protected must meet
all of the requirements below:
① A work must be a creation in which “thoughts or sentiments are
expressed.”
(e.g.) Simple data, mere
facts, and discoveries are excluded.
② A work must be “an expression of thoughts or sentiments.”
(e.g.) Ideas, concepts, and
methods are excluded.
③ A work must be a creation in which thoughts or sentiments are
expressed “in a creative way.”
(e.g.) Imitations and
bootlegs are excluded.
④ A work must be “within the literary, scientific, artistic, or
musical domain.”
(e.g.) Industrial products
are excluded.
(ref.)
Art.2(Scope of Copyright Protection) of WIPO Copyright Treaty
Copyright
protection extends to expressions and not to ideas, procedures, methods of
operation or mathematical concepts as such.