Japan to pay royalties to artistes, record labels for background music use
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Musicians, including singers, and record labels are not entitled to remuneration when their works are used as background music in places such as cafes and gyms.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: UNSPLASH
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TOKYO – Japan’s culture agency plans to revise copyright rules to require payment of royalties to artistes and record labels when their works are used as background music in places such as cafes and gyms, officials said on Jan 9.
Royalties collected from commercial facilities are currently paid only to songwriters and composers, with Japan now racing to catch up with a policy already adopted in 142 countries and regions to better protect artistes’ rights.
Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs put forward its plans to its deliberative council and is expected to submit the revised copyright Bill to the ordinary parliamentary session set to begin on Jan 23.
The amount of royalties collected from the use of background music in commercial facilities is currently determined by the size of the establishment, according to the Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers.
A store measuring about 500 sq m pays around 6,000 yen (S$49) a year, with the fees distributed to so-called copyright holders, who are limited to songwriters and composers. Musicians, including singers and instrumentalists, as well as record labels, are not entitled to remuneration.
The initial report submitted to the council said the agency aims to “harmonise with international policies and advocate paying performers”.
It also called for about three years to raise public awareness of the revised law and to take into account the burden on smaller businesses.
While the move has garnered support as a boost to the entertainment industry, some have called for measures to ease the additional costs. KYODO NEWS
