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F.A.Qs |
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Choose one of the question listed below. |
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| Q1 : What is the size of the Japanese music market? |
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It is the second largest market in the world following the U.S. Sales reached
704,516 million yen (US$6,535.3 million) in 2000 and accounted for 17.7% of the world wide sales, which
covers more than 83 % of the total amount of sales in Asian region. |
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| Q2 : What kind of distribution system exists for records in Japan? |
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There are two major channels for supplying products in the general market. The
first involves record companies with their own sales divisions directly contracting with record stores.
The second involves sales and distribution via wholesalers. The record companies store their records at
one of two warehousing firms and deliver the records from there. |
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| Q3 : What were some of the characteristics of the Japanese music market in
2000? |
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As for the pre-recorded music carrier, CDs comprised 96% of the quantity and
97% of the sales amount. As for the origin, Japanese repetoire comprised 81% of units sold and 79% of value.
Although international repertoire only has 20% share in the market, the value counts about US$1,307 million
in 2000. |
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| Q4 : What are the major purchasing groups for musical records? |
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Overall, men and women in their teens and twenties purchase the greatest number
of records and Japanese pop and rock music is particularly popular among them. However, recently the purchasing
rate among people aged 30-59 has been rising. |
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| Q5 : How much do records cost in Japan? |
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A full priced new CD album costs between JPyen2,500 (US$23) and 3,000 (US$28).
The unique Japanese resale price maintenance system (price designation by record companies) remains and
there has been no dramatic drop in prices. |
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| Q6 : What musical genres are there and how many newly released titles are there? |
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Among Japanese music, there is enka (Japanese country), pops, traditional Japanese
folk music, educational and children's music based on fairy tales, animation music, easy listening music
(instrumental), karaoke and such. As for overseas, rock, disco, jazz, pops, soundtracks, classical and
other records are sold at stores. The number of newly released titles in 2000 were about 15,800. |
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| Q7 : What about Internet use? |
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The number of registered users with the internet services providers are about
23 million as of March 2001 and the pace of increase is expected to accelerate with the penetration of
broadband. |
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| Q8 : What about electronic delivery of music? |
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Many Japanese record companies are operating electronic music delivery services
for downloading music through a portal site called Label Gate. In addition, the sites of the respective
companies provide music for listening through streaming and artist related information. Furthermore, there
is also a business format that uses a Kiosk like machine to enable individuals to download music from a
server onto an MD or other medium. |
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| Q9 : What types of record awards and certification systems are there? |
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Japan has the Gold Disc Awards. The ceremony for these awards is held once a
year by RIAJ as the organizer and the ceremony is broad casted on satellite and terrestrial TV broadcasting
programs. As for certification systems, the industry has the Gold Disc, Platinum Disc and other certifications.
These are announced once a month through industry magazines, websites and such. |
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| Q10 : What is the condition and impact of record rentals in Japan? |
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There are about 3,700 record rental shops in Japan and more than 85% of these
rent records along with videos and game software. There are almost no shops that illegally rent records.
The shops pay a use fee in accordance with their contracts and the system is working smoothly. |
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| Q11 : How about music piracy? |
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There are basically no pirated copies of records produced in Japan. As for overseas,
a recently widespread method for piracy has been utilized to obtain music via the internet, and made pirate
CDs using CD-R burners. However, this type of pirated CD is not seen in Japan. The piracy problem for Japan
is really a problem of unlicensed copying in Taiwan of Japanese music. The current problem involves is
that these products being imported into and sold in Japan. |
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| Q12 : Is there a system for protecting the right of records? |
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In Japan, the right of records are protected by the system of the neighboring
right of copyright system. This includes exclusive rights of reproduction, transfer, making transmittable
and lending; and the rights to claim secondary use fee (broadcasting fee of records) and the remmuneration
for rental record (right following 1 year rental right), and the right to receive compensation for private
audio and video recording. These rights are equally granted to record producers of the countries that are
members of international conventions covering record rights. |
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