Japan to launch a content rights database in 2016

The Japanese Government is planning to launch in the coming months a centralised database for rights information on Japanese films, animation and music. The database will be available in multiple languages to potential rights buyers.

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 Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry intends to triple the overseas sales of Japanese content rights.