水木しげるの作品には、表層を超えた深い含意がこめられている。
Shigeru Mizukis works always contain a deeper meaning beyond the surface.
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A representative example is the story Sara Kozō, which was published in Weekly Shonen Magazine in 1967.
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This is a part of the famous series GeGeGe no Kitaro.
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The protagonist of the story is a singer who cant quite become famous.
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One day, as he was passing through the marsh, he suddenly heard a mysterious singing voice from somewhere, and before he knew it, his body started dancing.
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To the wonderful rhythm, everything around—the frogs and even the plants—began to sway.
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He quickly jotted down the melody in his notebook, immediately formed a band, and performed the song. As a result, the song became an unprecedented big hit.
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The performances were always packed with audiences, and he was constantly invited to appear on TV and radio, surrounded by waves of excitement.
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However, this success lasted only for a brief moment.
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At night, someone knocked on the door of your house.
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It is Sara Kozo and the yokai who live in the marsh.
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Sara Kozou, the true owner of the plagiarized song, was extremely angry and considered this a serious violation of intellectual property rights, so she took the singer who stole the song to the Hidden Village.
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In other words, this is a story that calls for the protection of intellectual property, while at the same time serving as a fable that satirizes the current state of copyrights and patents in modern society.
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The protection and utilization of intellectual property rights have become extremely important strategies in corporate management today, and are especially indispensable when expanding globally.
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Looking back at history, the United States is the country that first developed this trend.
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The United States federal patent law was enacted in 1790, amid constant shifts between movements in favor and against it.
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At this time in Japan, it coincided with the period when Tsutaya Jūzaburō and Santō Kyōden were punished for corrupting public morals.
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When I was working in the United States, I noticed a phrase displayed near the entrance of the Department of Commerce: The patent system adds the fuel of interest to the fire of genius.
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These are the words of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President.
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Just like in the case of Xerox, a patent strategy can become the most powerful weapon for a company to achieve rapid growth.
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When I was a new employee, Xerox was dominating the market with its state-of-the-art PPC technology, making it possible to copy onto plain paper.
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Their strength lies in a defense system built on more than 600 patents.
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Even American companies are often surrounded by solid patents covering related technologies and are forced to pay settlement fees.
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At the time, Company C, which mainly manufactured cameras, boldly challenged Xerox’s stronghold.
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For this company, while the copier market is an attractive field as they aim to diversify, they are blocked by the enormous barrier that is Xerox.
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However, the management overcame all criticism that it was reckless, succeeded in developing the NP technology patent, and filed a patent application in the United States.
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C Corporations stock price soared by 50% in just one week, proving that they had broken Xeroxs stronghold. However, they later faced many difficulties in commercializing their products.
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In 1972, the situation changed with the introduction of the high-performance, low-cost NP-L7, and the product became a bestseller.
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It was precisely technological prowess and patent strategy that helped overcome the lawsuit with Xerox and enabled Company C to grow into the patent powerhouse it is today.
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Its not just about patents.
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Intellectual property has also been extended to broader concepts such as copyright.
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For example, the background music played in restaurants is actually subject to royalties paid to the copyright holders.
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The movement to protect the rights of artists and singers is becoming increasingly active, and although 142 countries have already signed international treaties on the protection of rights related to performances and the transmission of music, Japan is still withholding its participation.
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There is no way to promote the globalization of Japanese culture other than strengthening the protection of the rights of those involved in the culture.
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Patent protection is extremely difficult.
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That is precisely the universal battle and strategy in the world of intellectual property.
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This is essential for pursuing national interests with the two wheels of culture and economy.
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Behind the protection of rights lies the flame of creativity, and it is precisely through this that Japanese culture can shine on the international stage.
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