日本著作法

（节选译文）

Chapter I General Provisions  

Section 1 General Rules  

(Purpose)  

Article 1 

The purpose of this Act is to provide for authors' rights and  neighboring rights with respect to works and performances, phonograms,  broadcasts and cablecasts, and to ensure protection for the rights of authors,  etc. while according attention to the fair exploitation of these cultural products,  and thereby to contribute to the development of culture.

(Definitions)  

Article 2 

(1) In this Act, the meaning of the terms set forth in each of the  following items is as prescribed in that item:  

(i) "work" means a production in which thoughts or sentiments are creatively  expressed and which falls within the literary, academic, artistic or musical  domain;

(ii) "author" means a person who creates a work;  

(iii) "performing" means acting dramatically, dancing, giving a musical  performance, singing, giving a speech, giving a recitation, or by any other  means for acting of work (including similar actions not involving the  interpretation of a work but having the nature of a performing art); 

 (iv) "performer" means an actor, dancer, musician, singer, or any other person  who gives a performance or a person who conducts or stages a performance; 

 (v) "phonogram" means the fixation of sounds on a material object such as a  phonograph disc or recording tape (except sound intended to be played  exclusively alongside images);  

(vi) "producer of a phonogram" means the person that was the first to fix the  sounds that have been fixed into a phonogram;

(vii) "commercial phonogram" means a copy of a phonogram that is produced  for the purposes of commercial distribution;  

(vii)-2 making a "transmission to the public" means making a transmission of  wireless communications or wired telecommunications with the objective of allowing the public to receive them directly (excluding transmission (unless  this constitutes the transmission of a work of computer programming) with  telecommunications facilities one part of which is installed on the same  premises as the other parts (or, excluding, if two or more persons occupy the  same premises, transmission with telecommunications facilities both ends of  which are installed within the area the same person occupies));

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