JRRC Launches New Licensing System to Legalize Internal Sharing of UK Newspapers, Industry Journals, and Market Reports

Key Points of this Release 1. A new system launched to allow legal internal reproduction and use of UK newspapers and industry journals within Japan. 2. JRRC acts as the point of contact, offering both annual blanket licensing and individual licensing agreements. 3. Supports both paper photocopying and digital reproduction to assist with internal information sharing in companies and organizations. Legalizing the Internal Sharing of UK Newspaper Articles, Industry Journals, and Market Reports New System Covering Major Media Outlets Including the Financial Times ― Effective April 1, 2026 ― The Japan Reprographic Rights Center (JRRC) will launch a new licensing system on April 1, 2026, allowing companies and organizations in Japan to legally reproduce and use UK newspapers, industry journals, and other copyrighted works for internal business purposes. This system is based on an agreement with NLA Media Access, a UK-based copyright collective management organization. Through JRRC, users in Japan can obtain licenses to reproduce UK publications to the extent necessary for their business operations. Target media includes UK national newspapers, regional newspapers, specialized media, and related websites. In addition to major newspapers such as The Financial Times (print only), The Times, The Guardian, and The Daily Telegraph, internal use of specialized journals in fields like finance, investment, distribution, and retail is permitted within the conditions set by JRRC. For companies and organizations that routinely collect and share international news and specialized information, this provides an environment where they can utilize UK copyrighted materials while respecting copyright laws. * Some media outlets may require a separate subscription to the original publication. A subscription is required for the reproduction of The Financial Times. ■ Two Contract Types Available Based on Usage Annual Blanket License Implemented by department or division, this provides comprehensive coverage for photocopying and digital reproduction of publications for one year (April 1 to March 31 of the following year). Individual License A method where users apply to JRRC for each instance of photocopying or digital reproduction to receive authorization on a case-by-case basis. ■ Scope of Permitted Use Permitted reproduction is limited to small portions of publications. For newspaper articles, this is limited to individual articles. Paper photocopying is limited to small quantities (up to 30 copies), and digital reproduction is limited to small-scale sharing (up to 40 recipients). Furthermore, the use of reproduced materials is limited to internal use (including internal transmission) within companies and organizations in Japan. The scope of the license is generally consistent with that of domestic copyrighted works in Japan.