Kaneda Copyright Agency {top}

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Copyright FAQ {top}

{FAQ} What kind of registration is stipulated in the Copyright Act?

Roughly speaking, four kinds of copyright-related registration are stipulated in the Copyright Act.
▷ Registration of a true name (Art.75)
▷ Registration of the date of first publication, etc. (Art.76)
▷ Registration of the date of creation (for a work of computer programming) (Art.76-2)
▷ Registration of Copyright (Art.77)
All the registrations mentioned above are made by the Commissioner of the Agency for Cultural Affairs, who enters or records them in the copyright register. So, if you wish to have your work registered, you are required to make an application to the Agency for Cultural Affairs.
Although no registration is required to secure copyright protection in Japan, you can expect certain legal effects or practical benefits*[1] by registering your work.

*[1] Practically, copyright-related registrations are frequently used to identify and make public, the author, the current copyright owner, and other things of a registered work, which can make copyright transactions or clearances smoother. Also, these registrations are taken advantage of in the hope of presenting prima facie evidence in a copyright infringement suit, etc.