Latest news with #CulturalAffairsAgency
Asahi Shimbun
5 days ago
- Asahi Shimbun
Media renews criticism of AI firms ignoring copyright laws
The Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association, based in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward, includes more than 100 member newspapers and broadcasters from across the nation. (Ryo Sanada) A major Japanese mass media association is accusing artificial intelligence companies of violating copyright protections by collecting, using and regurgitating information scraped from news articles after explicitly being denied permission to do so. In a statement released June 4, the Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association called on AI companies to comply with existing rules, and urged the government to establish and enforce systems to protect content creators and uphold intellectual property rights. In response to the recent rise of Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) systems and other AI technology, many news organizations in Japan have set their websites to explicitly prohibit the use of their content by generative AI. Nevertheless, the association states there have been confirmed instances of AI firms ignoring these restrictions and unlawfully using association members' content—including as clear references in RAG systems. Citing the Cultural Affairs Agency's 2024 guidance on AI and copyright, the association noted that such unauthorized use likely constitutes copyright infringement. RAG systems, which use generative AI to search the web for information and generate responses to user questions, have seen a massive boom in popularity. However, this practice has raised concerns about a growing trend known as 'zero-click search,' where users read only the AI-generated responses without clicking through to the original news sources of the information. Media groups warn that, in addition to potentially generating misinformation, this can throttle traffic to legitimate news sites and ultimately threaten the sustainability of professional journalism. The association's statement described the practice as 'freeriding on news content' and warned that undermining news organizations could 'threaten the public's right to know.'
Asahi Shimbun
16-05-2025
- Asahi Shimbun
Tower of the Sun, Biwako Canal set for heritage recognition
The Tower of the Sun, created by artist Taro Okamoto in Suita, Osaka Prefecture (Kazushige Kobayashi) The iconic Tower of the Sun in Osaka Prefecture is set to be designated an Important Cultural Property, while a historic canal complex connecting Kyoto with Lake Biwako will be recognized as a National Treasure. An expert panel of the Cultural Affairs Agency submitted its proposal to the culture minister on May 16. Standing approximately 70 meters tall, the Tower of the Sun was created by artist Taro Okamoto in Suita as the centerpiece of the 1970 Osaka Expo. The top engineers of the time skillfully met the complex challenge of translating Okamoto's extraordinary ideas into a massive physical structure. An original plan to demolish the distinctive monument after the expo was overturned following public opposition. The tower has since established itself not only as the artist's best-known work but also as a nostalgic symbol of the world's fair, held at the height of Japan's postwar economic boom. Its interior, featuring artistic installations, has been open to visitors since 2018. Built between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Lake Biwako Canal was crucial to Kyoto's modernization following the official relocation of Japan's capital to Tokyo. Spanning Kyoto and neighboring Otsu, the canal facilitated water transport, hydroelectric power generation and a municipal water supply for the ancient capital. Of the associated structures, 24 will be designated Important Cultural Properties. Five of these, all early large-scale facilities, are now poised to become National Treasures. These include Suirokaku, a 14-arch aqueduct near Nanzenji temple; the Keage Incline railway, which connects two canals; and the First Tunnel, the longest in Japan at the time, measuring 2,436 meters. Hailed as the pinnacle in urban infrastructure projects of the Meiji Era (1868-1912), these will be the first modern civil engineering works to receive National Treasure status.
Yomiuri Shimbun
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Japan Literature Advances Overseas: Styles that Gaze Deeply into Society Gaining International Popularity
Contemporary Japanese literature is gaining popularity overseas. To ensure that this does not end up as a passing fad, it is necessary to map out a long-term overseas strategy and also to help cultivate new readers in Japan. Hiromi Kawakami's novel 'Under the Eye of the Big Bird' was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize, the translation category of a prestigious British literary award. The novel depicts humanity on the verge of extinction and its fusion with artificial intelligence, among other themes. The winner will be announced on May 20. A work by Han Kang of South Korea, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature last year, was previously selected for the International Booker Prize. If Kawakami wins it this time, it will be a first for a Japanese author. Writers from Japan have been highly evaluated abroad in recent years. Works by Yoko Tawada and Yu Miri won the U.S. National Book Award for translated literature. In Britain, Japanese novels have enjoyed a boom following hits such as Sayaka Murata's 'Convenience Store Woman.' Asako Yuzuki's 'Butter' has reportedly sold more than 300,000 copies there. Works by Yasunari Kawabata and Junichiro Tanizaki are said to have been read abroad due to their perceived exoticism. Since the late 1980s, the more accessible works of Haruki Murakami, Banana Yoshimoto and other novelists have been loved beyond borders, laying the groundwork for the present boom. Looking at the international situation, economic disparities and divisions are widening in many countries. Against this backdrop, the style of Japanese novels, which do not easily judge right from wrong and sometimes look deeply into society with a sense of humor, seems to have achieved resonance. Especially, the boom is characterized by the high popularity of female writers. The Japan Foundation has long subsidized translation and other expenses for foreign publishers to promote Japanese literature overseas. Tawada's work, which won the National Book Award in the United States, also received support from the foundation. The Cultural Affairs Agency is also promoting a project to help Japanese publishers and others write English-language proposals to market their novels overseas. These efforts should be further strengthened to introduce many attractive works overseas. It is also important to devise ways to link the popularity of Japanese literature overseas to the acquisition of readers in Japan. It is hoped that publishers will communicate more than they do now about the evaluations and reactions of overseas readers. It may be that more people here will gain new perspectives and awareness different from those of Japanese readers, and will want to read the works themselves. Translation not only into English but also into other languages needs to be strengthened. The government should focus on cultivating translators in cooperation with overseas universities and other entities. Increased interest in Japanese literature will lead to a deeper understanding of Japan. (From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 14, 2025)
Japan Today
10-05-2025
- Japan Today
3 men arrested in Japan for possession of several thousand protected hermit crabs
Three Chinese men have been arrested for alleged possession of several thousand protected hermit crabs in the southwestern Japan city of Amami, police said. Liao Zhibin, 24, Song Zhenhao, 26, and Guo Jiawei, 27, are suspected of possessing around 160 kilograms of hermit crabs designated as "national natural monuments" on Tuesday without authorization from the head of the Cultural Affairs Agency, the police said. Authorities believe the three may have intended to sell the crabs, which were packed in six suitcases. A staff member from a hotel where the men stayed alerted the police through an Environment Ministry official. The police have not said whether the three have admitted to the allegations. © KYODO
Kyodo News
07-05-2025
- Kyodo News
3 Chinese arrested in Japan for alleged possession of protected crab
KYODO NEWS - 1 hour ago - 16:58 | All, Japan Three Chinese men were arrested Wednesday for alleged possession of several thousand protected hermit crabs in the southwestern Japan city of Amami, police said. Liao Zhibin, 24, Song Zhenhao, 26, and Guo Jiawei, 27, are suspected of possessing around 160 kilograms of hermit crabs designated as "national natural monuments" on Tuesday without authorization from the head of the Cultural Affairs Agency, the police said. Authorities believe the three may have intended to sell the crabs, which were packed in six suitcases. A staff member from a hotel where the men stayed alerted the police through an Environment Ministry official. The police have not said whether the three have admitted to the allegations.
