Japan Govt OKs Bill to Grant Royalties to Singers, Record Biz

Tokyo, May 15 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government Friday adopted a bill to revise the copyright law to create new rights that grant background music royalties to singers and record businesses. The proposed revision is aimed at allowing a wider range of artists and others to receive appropriate levels of compensation from the use of their music and make it easier for them to advance into overseas markets. Singers and others would be able to gain royalties from the music played in the background not only in Japan but also abroad. Restaurants and other users of background music would have to pay more in royalties. The government hopes to secure the enactment of the bill during the current parliamentary session slated to end on July 17. Rights similar to those proposed in the bill have been introduced in 142 economies, according to the cultural affairs agency. In Japan, royalties from music played in public, at venues such as restaurants and during events, are collected by the Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers, or JASRAC, and distributed to copyright holders such as composers. But holders of neighboring rights, such as singers and other performers, are not among the recipients of music royalties. The bill calls for enforcing the proposed revision within three years of its promulgation. The collection and distribution of royalties based on the proposed new rights would be undertaken by an organization designated by the commissioner for cultural affairs. Rules on the royalties and fee sizes would be decided in consultation between the designated organization and representatives of users, such as trade groups of supermarkets and restaurants, based on a proposal to be drafted by the organization. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]