Japan: Amendment to Copyright Act enters into force

On 26 May 2026, the remaining provisions of the Act to Partially Amend the Copyright Act (Act No. 33 of 2023) enter into force. The provisions establish an arbitration system for the use of unmanaged published works under Article 67-3, under which persons seeking to use an unmanaged published work may obtain an arbitration ruling from the Commissioner of the Agency for Cultural Affairs and deposit a compensation amount determined by the Commissioner. The period of use authorised by an arbitration ruling is limited to a maximum of 3 years. The Act also provides for the designation of compensation management organisations under Articles 104-18 to 104-32 and the registration of verification bodies under Articles 104-33 to 104-47, which perform functions relating to applications, confirmation of eligibility, calculation, receipt, management, and distribution of compensation. The use of compensation not distributed to rights holders is governed by Article 104-22.