Copyright and JASRAC

1. Singing “Utae BanBan” into a QR Code

TokiQR’s voice QR codes store up to approximately 30 seconds of voice in a single QR code. They are designed for people to leave messages in their own voice. One day, I tried singing “Utae BanBan” — a beloved Japanese children’s song — and encoded it into a QR code.

Looking at the finished QR code, a question surfaced. Can I actually distribute this? I sang it myself. I recorded it myself. But I did not write this song.

2. The Two Layers of Music Copyright

Music carries two distinct sets of rights. The first is the performance right — the right belonging to the person who sings or plays the music. The second is the composition copyright — the right belonging to the person who wrote the melody and lyrics.

When you sing a song yourself, the recording is yours. But the copyright in the melody and lyrics remains with the original songwriters. Whether you sang it or not has no bearing on the composition copyright.

3. How JASRAC Works

JASRAC (Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers) is a collective rights management organization that administers music licenses on behalf of songwriters and composers. The vast majority of commercially distributed music in Japan falls under JASRAC’s management.

Users do not need to negotiate directly with individual songwriters. By applying to JASRAC and paying the prescribed usage fee, anyone can legally use a managed composition. This centralized licensing system is the backbone of music distribution in Japan.

Conversely, distributing a JASRAC-managed composition without authorization constitutes copyright infringement — regardless of personal goodwill or non-commercial intent.

4. Copyright Status of “Utae BanBan”

“Utae BanBan” was first broadcast in 1975 on NHK’s “Minna no Uta.” The lyrics were written by Hiroo Sakata (d. 2005) and the music by Naozumi Yamamoto (d. 2002).

Under Japanese copyright law, copyright persists for 70 years after the author’s death (extended from 50 years when the TPP-11 took effect in December 2018). This means the music copyright remains valid until 2072, and the lyrics copyright until 2075. Neither will expire within our lifetimes.

Notably, works that had already entered the public domain before the 2018 extension were not retroactively re-protected. Works by authors who died in 1967 or earlier had already completed their 50-year term and remain freely usable.

5. The QR Code Changes Nothing

A voice QR code is printed on paper. At first glance, it may seem different from digital distribution. However, the QR code contains a URL, and accessing that URL plays back the audio. Legally, it is treated the same as audio distribution over the internet.

Whether the medium is paper, CD, or streaming, reproducing and distributing a copyrighted composition requires authorization. This principle applies regardless of how new or old the technology is.

6. What You Can Safely Use with TokiQR

So what can be safely distributed as a voice QR code?

• Your own voice messages — A letter to someone, words of gratitude, an anniversary message. Content spoken in your own words carries no copyright concern.
• Public domain compositions — Songs whose lyricist and composer died more than 70 years ago (including works already expired under the pre-2018 50-year rule) are free to use.
• Your own songs or melodies — If you composed it, the copyright is yours. AI composition tools like Suno and Udio let anyone generate original music without musical training. Sing over your generated track, and there is no existing composition copyright to worry about.
• Licensed compositions — Songs used after applying to JASRAC and paying the required fee.

Public Domain Songs by Occasion

Below is a guide to well-known public domain songs organized by occasion — all free to sing and distribute.

Weddings:

• “Hana” (Flower) — Rentaro Taki (d. 1903). A celebration of spring beauty
• “Wedding March” — Mendelssohn (d. 1847). The classic recessional
• “Bridal Chorus” (Here Comes the Bride) — Wagner (d. 1883). The classic processional
• “Canon in D” — Pachelbel (d. 1706). A reception staple
• “Ave Maria” — Schubert (d. 1828). For church ceremonies
• “Plaisir d’amour” (The Joy of Love) — Martini (d. 1816)

Children’s milestones & birthdays:

• “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” — 18th-century French folk melody. Loved worldwide
• “Shabondama” (Soap Bubbles) — Ujo Noguchi (d. 1945) / Shinpei Nakayama (d. 1952)
• “Yurikago no Uta” (Cradle Song) — Hakushu Kitahara (d. 1942) / Shin Kusakawa (d. 1948)
• “Haru ga Kita” (Spring Has Come) — Tatsuyuki Takano (d. 1947) / Teiichi Okano (d. 1941)
• “Nanatsu no Ko” (Seven Children) — Ujo Noguchi / Nagayo Motoori (d. 1945)

Memorials & remembrance:

• “Kojo no Tsuki” (Moon over the Ruined Castle) — Rentaro Taki / Bansui Doi (d. 1952)
• “Amazing Grace” — John Newton (d. 1807). A global standard for memorial services
• “Furusato” (My Homeland) — Tatsuyuki Takano / Teiichi Okano. Nostalgia for home
• “Aka Tombo” (Red Dragonfly) — Rofu Miki (d. 1964) / Kosaku Yamada (d. 1965)
• “Danny Boy” — Irish traditional melody, lyrics: Frederic Weatherly (d. 1929)

Graduations & new beginnings:

• “Auld Lang Syne” — Robert Burns (d. 1796) / traditional Scottish melody
• “Aogeba Totoshi” (Song of Gratitude) — American original melody, Japanese lyrics: anonymous
• “Ode to Joy” — Beethoven (d. 1827). For new journeys ahead

Seasonal occasions:

• “Momiji” (Autumn Leaves), “Oborozukiyo” (Hazy Moonlit Night) — Takano / Okano
• “Greensleeves” — 16th-century English folk song. Also associated with Christmas
• Classical music — works by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, and others

Note that while the original compositions are public domain, specific modern arrangements may carry new copyright. Singing the original melody yourself is always safe.

TokiQR’s intended purpose is preserving your own voice. Wedding vows, a parent’s letter to their child, impressions from a journey. None of these raise copyright issues. The most meaningful use is also the safest.

7. New Technology, Same Rights Framework

Encoding voice into a QR code is a new technology. But the copyright framework that governs it is not. Each time a new technology emerges, its compatibility with existing rights systems must be verified.

The day I sang “Utae BanBan” into a QR code, I experienced the two-layer structure of music copyright firsthand. Even when the voice is mine, the song belongs to someone else. Understanding this is part of the responsibility of running a service.