Let's Create an Integrated SEZ Between Pop and Tech

Joint governmental/CoolJapan Personnel Development Research Conference

In addition to providing an introduction to CiP as a plan for personnel development in a digital content SEZ, I gave a presentation on 'digital super schools,' a concept which aims to break down the schoolhouse walls.

I'll give an overview of the contents here.

The CiP concept is moving forwards with a content innovation program in Takeshiba in Tokyo's Minato Ward, creating a base there which integrates Pop and Tech.

Built on 1.5 hectares of redeveloped waterfront land, the digital testbed and clustring bring together the cutting edge of content, media, IT, and the Intenet of Things(IoT), and will open for business right before the 2020 olympics.

We want to make Tech and Pop into something you could only find in Japan, a fun and interesting town that represents a kind of fusion of Silicone Valley and Hollywood. It will be a place where you can do everything from research and education to business activities.

Keio University, which I'm affiliated with, will be moving in and we've also reached out to other schools such as Stanford for partnerships. We'd also like to get a manga/anime trade for one of the residents. At the same time, we're soliciting the participation of an NPO which teaches programming to children.

In addition, we'd like to attract/create funds which can support the business as it gets off the ground, and engage in some energetic business matching.  We're also considering a Startup SEZ using blockchain. CiP Council, the parent organization, has the participation of approximately 60 businesses and organizations running the gamut from telecom, broadcasting, music, anime, games, education, and venture support.

The location has been certified as a national strategic SEZ and we want to break past the restrictions we've been subject to in the past.

We're currently considering various deregulation proposals such as SEZs for airwaves, copyright, and robotics.

For example, as a SEZ for airwaves, we'd like to create the world's first IoT broadcaster focusing on sending out radiowaves for robots.

We'd like to gather orphaned copyrights and create an archival copyright SEZ where it would be okay for people to come and view them. With the support of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), we've begun to assemble a musical database that will become the foundation for just such a venture.

A digital signage SEZ. Right now, in Takeshiba, the Ministry of Public Management is developing a live demonstration featuring signage offering hospitality in multiple languages. If we open up the city, loosening regulations on outdoor advertisements, we could map promotions to the streets, and we'd like to make something like that a reality.

We'll also develop sports. We're moving forward with 'Superhuman Sports,' where anyone can achieve super abilities by expanding human physical ability with technology. We plan to open an international Superhuman Sports Tournament alongside the 2020 Paralympics, and we'd like to prepare a venue in Takeshiba. This effort is being supported by the Cabinet Secretariat's Office of Olympics and Paralympics.

We're making the World Otaku Institute. Every year, all across the world, a total of approximately 20 million people actively participate in events such as anime conventions that bring together fans of Japanese culture. This project would be led by fellow otaku from top-level schools such as MIT, Stanford, and Beijin University. A central shrine for the community would be set up at Takeshiba. This idea also has the support of METI.

While moving ahead with the project, new educational facilities would be put in place.

I'll go into more detail about the plans for these educational facilities next time.

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The Debate over Revisions to the Copyright System

The Council for Cultural Affairs. There's been debate over 'a flexible system of rights.' Some are working towards making the system more beneficial for users. Laws need to be updated in order to take into account Internet usage. Starting from the discussion taking place within the Intellectual Property Division, the Council is working towards creating a more practical system.

I've advocated for copyright to be seen less as a system and more as a business. This is because revisions to the system commonly take years and yield relatively minuscule results. Rather than do that, it would be more viable and effective to facilitate increased production,distribution,and consumption of copyrighted works by real services and businesses.

However, the current debate was a meaningful one geared towards large-scale revisions. I'd like to show my respect for the governmental and committee members who've been hard at work on this problem from the outset,and I agree with the revisions currently being proposed. However, I'm very interested in what comes next.

Which is to say: the guidelines the government will formulate for the intellectual property plan.

"We are conducting a study on the strategy to be taken to plan the most appropriate application of the law regarding flexible limited rights provisions, from the perspective of increased foreseeability and including the formulation of guidelines regarding the actions to be subject to the law." (Intellectual Property Plan 2016)

As there are only generalities written into the law, the details of the copyright system have been left up to the courts to determine. Just as with Japan's ordinary administrative law, the government office writes explanatory commentaries, however in this case they are aiming to produce guidelines that make it easier to provide clarity in advance.

The work will be conducted after drafting the bill, but it would be good if these more detailed explanations and the thought underlying them were produced by gaining the participation of the council members and lawyers, judges and stakeholders, and working in cooperation. I think it's about time we expanded the frame we've been using up until this point.

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thinkC 's 10th Anniversary

The community thinkC, thinking about ©opyright, is throwing a 10th anniversary party.

I gave the opening remarks.

Time Magazine's 2006 person of the year cover featured a mirror which reflected the reader's own face.  It was surrounded by a drawing of a computer, with the word 'You' written within. A society in which all the individual yous, empowered by the digital, each have the power to create and transmit tyheir own information. Web 2.0, wherein everyone would take a leading role in the digital, became a buzzword.

2006 was also the year that twitter burst onto the scene. The iPhone would come out only one year later. thinkC was born on the eve of the smart and social revolutions soon to be kicked off by smartphones and socialnetworking. thinkC anticipated those developments and started working to make copyright something for everyone.

But by everyone, they meant everyone: users, creators, and industry. Everyone. Finding compromise proved difficult. However, it became an opportunity for everyone to put their heads together.

They did just that, but somewhere along the way another 'everyone' came along in the form of the TPP, leading to a tricky situation. At that point, the everyone in America elected Trump to be president,and the situation changed again. We all got back to work and put our heads together,

but at the same time another wave of change was rolling in. AI and the internet of things(IoT). How will we handle intellectual property for works created by AI? In this government committee, Japan is forging ahead of the world in this discussion. Taking that into account, perhaps they'll end up seeking thinkC's advice.

In 10 years, though the topic has changed and changed again, there's no danger of running out of material.

They'll be thinCing about copyright for a long time to come.

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