翻訳コラム

著作権では「音楽出版社」ということばがよく出てきます(著作権法上のことばではないのですが)。「出版社」ということばから楽譜の出版社であると誤解してしまうと、著作権がわからなくなってしまいます。実は私もそのように誤解していたことがありました。
しかし音楽出版社は、著作権を管理する業務を行っています。作詞家、作曲家と著作権譲渡契約を結んで著作権を譲渡され、JASRACのような著作権管理団体と契約を締結して、著作権の管理を信託します。つまり著作者とJASRACの間で著作権を橋渡しする存在です。
そして楽曲の利用者からJASRACに著作権使用料が支払われ、これが音楽出版社に分配され、さらに音楽出版社が作詞家、作曲家に再分配します(ただし、著作権のうち演奏権だけは直接、JASRACから著作者に分配されます)。
音楽出版社が自ら著作権を管理する場合もあります(つまりJASRACに信託せずに)。

先日、弁理士会研修「音楽業界における著作権とそのビジネス」に出席し、この話を聞きました。ニュースをにぎわしている音楽著作権なだけに会場は超満員でした。
講師の城田晴栄先生は音楽業界の弁理士という貴重な方であり、音楽業界の生の話が聞けてとてもsignificantでありimpressiveでした。
著書やブログで音楽業界の著作権を書いている私にとって、音楽業界の話は重要であり今後も折に触れて話していきたいと思います。

参考資料:一般社団法人日本音楽出版社協会(http://mpaj.or.jp/whats/management)

Hello again readers. This week's discussion is about the music industry. When it comes to publishing rights the words “music publisher" are often thrown around even though they are not a part of the publishing laws themselves. Indeed, between the words publisher and music publisher it may become difficult to ascertain the difference when publishing rights are involved. To tell you the truth, I too have misunderstood the difference between these words.
Music publishers conduct the business of managing copyrights. They conclude agreements on the assignment of copyrights, and further conclude copyright trust agreements with a copyright management organization such as JASRAC so that JASRAC is entrusted with the management of a copyright. That is to say, the publishing rights exist as a sort of bridge between authors (songwriters, composers) and JASRAC.
Users of music pay copyright royalties to JASRAC, whereupon the royalties are distributed to music publishing companies which are then further distributed to the songwriters and composers. However, within the rights is a performance right, and JASRAC distributes the royalties from performance rights directly to the authors.
Music publishers also occasionally manage copyrights by themselves without deferring to JASRAC.

The other day I attended a patent attorney training seminar entitled “Copyrights in the Music Industry and its Business". The conference was full of attendees due to the popularity of music rights in the media.
One of the lecturers was none other than the Ms. Harue Shirota, a patent attorney who is well known for her keen insight into the music industry. Her lecture was truly impressive, and I felt the insight she had to offer was very significant as she could share real stories about the industry.
For one such as I who writes and blogs about publishing rights in the music industry, attending her lecture was a great experience, and I hope to talk about it in the future.

Reference:Music Publishers Association of Japan(http://mpaj.or.jp/whats/management)