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Japan's CODA (Contents Overseas Distribution Association) has announced the establishment of a new logo which they think will somehow protect the rights of Japanese content developers from overseas pirates.

Japan's Contents Overseas Distribution Promotion Association (CODA) has announced o­n the 2nd that they have begun the operations of the "Contents Overseas Distribution Mark Project," which is intended to control pirated versions of domestic contents. It will be applied in China, Korea, Taiwan, USA, and various contries throughout the EU. They are seeking approval as soon as next Spring, and o­nce they get this permission, they will begin the application process in each country.

The Contents Overseas Distribution Mark Project will paste a logo designated by CODA o­n legitimate contents, and is said to help control trademark violations by forgery. Up until now, there have been certain efforts made to protect copyrights from pirating in various manners, but since exercising these copyrights required sending an expert to the area, as well as requiring proof, a quick control of the violations was not possible. Enter the Contents Overseas Distribution Mark from CODA. By registering the trademarks in various countries, exercising copyrights in those countries will be based o­n trademarks.

The specified mark contains the "CJ" characters (of "Contents Japan") as a motif, and will be pasted o­n music CDs, video games, video DVDs, and books. Also planned is pasting of the mark o­n digital contents, TV programs, communication, and broadcasts - a total of 94 types of trademarks have been filed.

CODA will be in charge of the Contents Overseas Distribution Mark. A separate organization within CODA will be established to handle trademark violations, and they will also enforce trademarks in the local area, to help control piracy. CODA will license use of the mark to the CODA member organizations, groups, and various contents holders; they will also give certain overseas contents licensees rights to use of the mark. Currently, there is no license fee for use of the mark.

Mr. Tsuguhiko Sumikawa, CODA's representative, identified the current problem by saying that "in recent years, while there has been concern of domestic contents crossing over national borders, a majority of pirating has been in the markets of certain Asian countries." "Using trademarks is quite an idea," he commented. Also, exposing trademark infringement isn't as nearly as complicated as exposing copyright violations, so "just saying 'it looks the same' will get things moving" (Committee Chair Akiyoshi).

According to Mr. Kodama, the circulation of pirated contents represents 84% of the total in China. Though it was pointed out that "Asia, Eastern Europe, and South America are considered the prominent 'Pirate Heavens' in the world," "there was also a time when more than 50% of the contents in Japan were pirated. Nowadays, if you go to 100 rental shops, o­nly 4 of them will carry pirated contents. This improvements was made possible by instruction and education." He stressed that training in each country is a necessity.

CODA has stressed that this countermeasure "is not the final measure against exterminating pirates, but the first step." They also plan o­n introducing technology in the future that will prevent pirates from duplicating the mark itself.



Inspired by:
http://internet.watch.impress.co.jp/cda/news/2004/09/02/4478.html

Regarding the Establishment of the "Contents Overseas Distribution Promotion Association":
http://www.meti.go.jp/kohosys/press/0003017/