Japan to compile content rights database


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Rebecca Hawkes

| 31 December 2015




The Japanese Government is building a centralised database for rights information on Japanese films, animation and music.



The database, which is planned for launch during the 2016-17 tax year, will be available in multiple languages to potential rights buyers, reports Variety.

Currently, intellectual property rights are often held by multiple local owners in Japan. The production of films and other content is usually underwritten in Japan by a consortium of media companies in return for a percentage of the project’s rights. A database would help foreign buyers pinpoint who owns content rights to Japanese productions – information which is currently often obscure.

The initiative is part of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s intention to triple the overseas sales of Japanese content rights to JPY20 billion (US$166 million) between FY2013 and FY2018.