Japan's Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Matsumoto met with the dance-vocal unit Atarashii Gakko on Monday to discuss copyright reform.
The move aims to rectify a legal gap where royalties are currently paid only to songwriters and composers, leaving performers without a direct share of copyright fees. By updating these laws, the Japanese government seeks to ensure that those who interpret and deliver the music are financially recognized for their creative contributions.
During the exchange, MIZYU, a member of Atarashii Gakko, emphasized the emotional and creative investment performers place in their work. "Even if I didn't compose it, there is a feeling of being a parent to each song in terms of how it is expressed," MIZYU said [2].
Minister Matsumoto said Japan's current framework lags behind international norms. According to government data, there are 142 countries and regions where performers are eligible to receive copyright royalties [1]. The minister said the government intends to pursue legislative changes to align Japan with these global standards.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to support the growth of Japanese creative industries. Matsumoto said he wants to support these activities because Japanese pop culture is highly regarded overseas [2].
The current legal structure focuses on the intellectual property of the composition itself—the notes and lyrics—rather than the specific performance. This means that while a composer earns a fee every time a song is played, the dancer or singer performing that specific version may not receive a similar royalty stream from the copyright holder.
“"Even if I didn't compose it, there is a feeling of being a parent to each song in terms of how it is expressed,"”
This proposed shift represents a significant pivot in how Japan views the 'creative' element of performance. By moving toward a model used in 142 other jurisdictions, Japan is attempting to modernize its intellectual property laws to protect artists in an era where global streaming and digital performances have decoupled traditional recording contracts from long-term royalty streams.
