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Part 1 Toward a Culturally-Oriented Nation
Chapter 1 Japanese Culture Today
Section 1: The Environment Surrounding Culture
3. The Development of Digital Technology



(1) The Development of Media Arts with the Advent of New Technologies

Of all the recent socioeconomic changes, the most urgent and relevant is the trend towards an information society, particularly involving the Internet.

It was estimated that there were 27.06 million Internet users between the ages of 15 and 69 in Japan at the end of 1999 (a 59.7% increase over the previous year) and it is thought that the number will reach 76.7 million by FY2005 (Source: Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications "Status Report on Telecommunications" for FY2000). Internet use is spreading in various places-not only in large corporations with more than 300 employees but also businesses with more than five employees as well as general households (See Figure 1-1-21 ). Consequently, the information technology (IT) revolution will undoubtedly provoke great changes the state of Japanese industry.

Figure 1-1-21 Spread of the Internet in Japan

Along with the rapid spread of the Internet in recent years, new media such as DVD has appeared on the scene. According to a survey by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, 623 billion yen was spent in production and shipping of related equipment for directors and performers in music and film. In particular, production of items such as MD players and DVD players is on the rise (See Table 1-1-6 ).

Table 1-1-6 Market Scale for the Production of Related Equipment for Directors and Performers in Music and Film

The development of multimedia, such as the evolution of multi-channel broadcasting through telecommunications satellites and CATV, has greatly influenced the state of culture itself.

Such technology is giving rise to new visual and acoustic arts which use digital applications such as computer graphics and game software. For example, computer graphics have fostered the artificial space termed "virtual reality." There is also great awareness that technology is an integral part of the culture emerging from Japan, as indicated by the fact that Japanese animation is broadcast on televisions worldwide and Japanese game software has become very popular overseas.


(2) The Concept of Digital Archives in Museums and Art Museums

While it is thought that visiting museums, art museums, shrines, and temples in order to directly appreciate prominent works of art and cultural properties will continue to be meaningful, in our digitalized information society it has become possible for anyone to freely and easily view and enjoy these works from the comfort of their own home. Technology is also playing a key role in the research and study of cultural properties and works of art by making it possible to preserve information from degradation, perform simulation necessary to repair cultural properties and works of art, and recreate missing parts with computer technology.

However, the photographing of cultural properties and works of art and the digital reproduction of those photographs has presented complications regarding the artist's copyright and ownership. In particular, in cases where copyright period of the work has not expired (after 50 years have elapsed since the artist's death), it is necessary to consider artists' rights by, for example, paying copyright fees. Furthermore, the considerable expenses required for management and maintenance, including initial investment for the provision of machinery, and the lack of curators able to use digital technology, will become important issues in the construction of digital archives.


(3) A Copyright System to Respond to the Information Society

Recent developments towards digitization and networked environments have enabled previously unforeseen usage methods, and it will be necessary to establish a system of copyrights in response.

The 1997 revision of the Copyright Law, based on a new treaty of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) adopted in December 1996, established regulations regarding the network transmission of works.

The same rights are being strengthened in countries around the world for the protection of authors in response to the development and spread of information transmission methods such as the Internet.

However, because of the developments in modern technology, simply strengthening authors' rights has become insufficient for today's situation. The widespread use of digital reproduction equipment and the Internet has made it very difficult to control unauthorized use, and it is becoming realistically impossible for copyright holders and others to employ legal means.

Consequently, there have been an increasing number of technical measures designed to limit or prohibit the copying of music CDs and movie video software. Technical measures to protect works from unauthorized use are called "technical protection measures."

Furthermore, copyright information (rights management information) such as the name of the copyright holder and usage conditions can be embedded in the work in such a way that it cannot be perceived by the user by using technologies such as the so-called "digital watermark." By searching for this information through a computer, copyright holders can easily discover whether their work has been illegally reproduced on the Internet. Also, by appending rights management information for works, such as usage conditions, rights issues could be handled automatically over computer networks.

However, even if such technical measures are employed, if devices to circumvent technical protection measures (such as CopyGuard Canceller, etc.) circulate, or if the removal or alteration of rights management information is not controlled, the objectives of copyright protection would go unachieved.

As a result, the Copyright Law was amended accordingly in 1999. As the amendment was revolutionary in regulating acts leading to copyright infringement such as illegal reproduction before they occur, it helped to ensure the enforcement of rights and facilitate the smooth circulation of works.

The development and spread of information transmission methods offers various advantages when accessing works. Regarding new methods of use, a review has become necessary, from the viewpoint of the public good, to ensure that works could easily be accessed in such a way that would not unfairly violate the interests of the copyright holder. From this viewpoint, the Copyright Law was amended in 2000, and studies regarding use by schools and libraries are currently underway.


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