This is the main meeting spot for people in Shibuya, and no matter what time of day, there are always flocks of people of all ages. The crosswalk near the station is also one of the busiest in the world, with TV screens, billboards and neon shining down from every building's surface. It's quite a sight to see when traffic lights change, especially from an upper floor of a nearby building.
We were interviewed for NHK-“TOKYO Kawaii TV”. a midnight variety program, which enjoys considerable audience rate as a midnight one..
Because the special program “Japanese kawaii over the world”, broadcasted on October 1, won a good reputation, NHK are projecting the second shot. It interviewed us to gather new information. Ms.Kobayashi and Wada of Apparel Web were participated in it besides me.
According to a program staff the first target of the tourists from abroad is shopping, and one out of 10 of them comes to the area Harajuku-Shibuya.
Actually in the program appears many non-Japanese, among whom there are also a Australian stylist who is gathering movie clothes in old clothes shop in Harajuku, a German girl who has come here to become a gal, an American girl student who spend her earned money like water at Shibuya 109 and a French teacher who stand at Jingu Bridge in Lolita clothes.
“I was affected by Japanese manga.”
“Gals are positive and look very happy.”
“Japanese young girls don’t know their limits.”
“Japan is a land, where you can be a young girl forever.”
Responding to their impression, this program named Tokyo as “the liberated zone for the visitors from abroad.”
Thanks to the program staff we have been able to learn much, exchanging information. We appreciate their kindness very much.
The program staff introduced us Caroline (in the picture) from Chicago. She is 21 year old student living in America, a devoted fan, as she says, of “Morning Musume”, She have taught herself Japanese language through the net, and what is more, she speaks in a perfect gal accent, worth hearing once.
Caroline has arrived Japan a few weeks ago. “I should have been interviewed her on her arrival.” repeated the program staff regrettably.
Many people had gathered in “Tokyo Game Show” as in “Japan Expo”. But something seemed to be wrong. They seem to be not enjoying themselves freely. I thought that its cause might be a cultural difference between Japan and France. (cf. Tokyo Japan Show and Japan Expo)
But recently I had chance to learn the actual cause from a member of a magazine company.
Its a legal problem of the cosplay.
Because the cosplay make use of the images of animations and mangas, it has copyright problems in this relation.
If a girl makes cosplay clothes to get pleasure out of them, she does not infringe the copyright, because it falls under the category of private use of copyrighted work.
And if she displays cosplay clothes of her own making, it does not constitute a copyright infringement, as far as she does not get paid for it.
Then, how is the case, in which an organizer of an event let visitors wear cosplay clothes not for profit?
The organizer only set up the place. You may suppose that the organizer doesn’t infringe copyright when cosplayers themselves don’t infringe copyright.
But, despite your supposition, there is a worth noting decision of the court, namely “juridical decision of Club Cat’s Eye case” (The supreme court, March 13, 1988).
In this case JASRAC accused a manager of a club Cat’s Eye of an infringement of copyright on the ground that it had let visitors sing with a karaoke without paying copyright royalty.
The visitors simply enjoy karaoke but not for profit, so it doesn’t constitute a copyright infringement. And the club? It simply offer a place for visitors to enjoy karaoke, and doesn’t directly make use of the copyrighted work, so you may be inclined to suppose that it does not infringe copyright.
But the judgment of the supreme court was not so.
The supreme court judged, that the organizer itself infringe copyright, who earns a profit, providing a place for visitors to sing with karaoke, even if the visitors themselves simply enjoying karaoke but not for profit.
This judgment shows in short, that, even if visitors are only enjoying him/herself not for profit, the organizer of the event can be legally punished.
The influence of this judgment is very big.
The object of this judgment will be to block off the loopholes of copyright. But, as a side effect cosplayers in event sites have been made a nuisance.
A photo session of a event site consist in a delicate balance among the trio of an owner of copyright, an organizer and cosplayers. When this balance goes pop, legal problem happens. Here is a front line of the battle of the copyright protection and freedom of expression.
As a result we can conclude, that relative immunity from Japanese law will be one of the causes, why Japanese animations and mangas prosper overseas.
The same thing looks different in the light of culture and the law.
Recently I had a chance to be acquainted with a young American from Lehman Brothers.
Lehman Brothers is a distinguished American investment bank founded in 1850. In September the 15th this year it practically bankrupted after requesting an application of chapter 11. The total amount of the debts are 613 million dollars. It’s a greatest bankruptcy in the American history.
Chapter 11 is the American Bankruptcy Law (Title 11 of the U.S. Code Bankruptcy)
With this law debtor him/her/self can make a plan of adjustment of debts.
“The time when I was informed about the bankruptcy is same as others. Until that moment I knew nothing about it. I was out for my business, and I received email with my mobile phone. I rushed to call to my boss, but the line didn’t connected. I was quite embarrassed.”
But his embarrassment looked not so tragic. It seemed to me that he was embarrassed only because his own project was collapsed.
His youth must have helped him. It was his boss who ordered him to Japan, and now he may think what will be, will be. After all he is yet comfortable in a condo in Iikura and works in Roppongi Hills.
“Nomura Securities Co., Ltd. has its own company song, which goes like ‘Nomura Nomura warera wa Nomura...’ I must learn this song to keep working.”
The department in which he is working is destined to be bought by Nomura, which guaranteed same amount of payment as before to all of the transferred members of the company. Nomura is laying stress on the detention of the company members of Lehman Brothers, and promised same amount of salaries as last year. Their average amount of payment is said to be about 40 million yen a year.
Under the chapter 11 the allegation of bankruptcy does not stop business but while keeping the business working, try to reconstruct the debtor.
Before all bulk goes under water, make the most use of all available! Out of wrecked cargo boat dashes forth a high speed cruiser.
“You stockholders! We had hard luck. Let us try our best! Good luck!” !
I have understood very well the difference between America and Japan, where the boat, the cargo and the crew members drench altogether.
“Because I like Asia, I will go to Singapore or Hong Kong next time. I will not prefer India, because I wouldn’t like to take curry rice from the morning”.
The young Lehman paid for us a glass of beer with a gold credit card.
ジョハリの窓 (日本語） (68)
