Japan · Performance + mechanical
JASRAC
What counts as black box here
Unidentified foreign works only are held pending and queried via foreign societies. After 3 years from allocation the inquiry ends and money moves to a distribution-compensation reserve; the residual is later added to a broadcasting distribution fund.
Mini box
Lit: compartments used and exit chute(s).
Its rules
Follows its own constitution and distribution rules, set by its members rather than a single statute.
- Rights it handles
- Performance + mechanical
- Holds a pool?
- Yes (unidentified foreign works only)
- Evidence level
- Official policy only
How it distributes money
How often matched money is paid out, and how members can find what's theirs.
- Payment cadence
- 4 major distributions per FY
- Data maturity tier
- C
How it handles unresolved royalties
How long money waits, when the clock starts, and where it goes if nobody claims it.
- Holding clock
- 3 yrs (unidentified foreign works only)
- Clock starts
- Allocation to pending
- Exit chute
- Compensation reserve, then broadcasting fund
- Late claims after expiry
- Not publicly disclosed
Lifecycle path
- 1
Allocate
Unidentified foreign works set pending
- 2
Query
Inquiry via foreign societies
- 3
End inquiry
Foreign works only
3 yrs from allocation
- 4
Reserve
Distribution-compensation reserve
- 5
Fund
Residual to broadcasting distribution fund
Published figures
¥151.858bn
FY2025 total
Source: JASRAC FY2025 report
From the original research