Comparative Legal Study on Judgment of Originality of Photographs under Copyright Law

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K13381
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 05070:New fields of law-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Sakai Machiko 東京大学, 大学院情報学環・学際情報学府, 准教授 (20734271)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 著作権 / 写真 / 創作性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study analyzed the judgment of the "originality" of photographs under copyright law in Japan, the U.S.A., and Germany through domestic and foreign court decisions and theories. All countries list many factors (such as determination of composition, adjustment of shutter speed and light) in judging the "originality" of a photograph using similar wording. This study illustrates that courts rarely judged "originality" based on single factors but rather by considering many factors comprehensively.

These factors are also enumerated to evaluate the human involvement added to the camera (machine). By re-examining the photographer's involvement in the "originality" of photography, this study strengthens the direction of judging the "originality" in creating works using machines such as AI.

Free Research Field

著作権法

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、機械を用いた創作手段である写真について、著作権法における創作性判断がどのようになされているか、どのような考慮要素が挙げられているかにつき、日本・ドイツ・EU・アメリカを中心に調査し、創作に機械を使うことの評価、さらに写真の保護価値が国により異なり、また時代によっても異なることを確認した。このような比較法的視座を得たことは、生成AIの登場により今後ますます注目される、機械を用いた作品制作の著作権保護の可否を考える上で有益なものと考えられる。