Kaneda Copyright Agency {top}
Copyright FAQ {top}
{FAQ} How can I use a copyrighted work of others?
If
you wish to use a work protected by copyright, the general rule is to find the
author and/or the copyright owner, identify the current copyright status, and
seek authorization (permission) form him/her/them.
Copyrights
are assignable*[1], so there is a possibility that the current copyright owner has
changed from the author or the former rights holder. Also, because copyrights
are composed of several “branch rights,” each branch right may have been
assigned separately from one another. Moreover, you should know that copyrights
to a single work may be jointly owned by two or more persons as in a “joint
work.”
Sometimes,
it’s very hard to find or identify the authentic rights holder(s), so if you
have difficulty doing that, consult us.
*[1]
You can lawfully exploit a copyrighted work of others by having the copyright
ownership transferred.
[Note]
The Copyright Act stipulates that a certain work may be exploited without any authorization
from copyright owners (See Art.30-50[Limitations of Copyrights]).