Why is it called "Inzei" (printing tax) even when nothing is printed?

Yes, I will explain that in detail.

The term "Inzei" (printing tax) is not necessarily limited to "books printed on paper" in practice. The name remains due to historical circumstances.

The origin of the term "Inzei"

Originally, in the publishing world, it was standard for books to be printed on paper and sold. Authors would hand their manuscripts to publishers, who would handle printing, binding, and distribution, and "money paid to the author" would be generated based on the number of copies sold.

From the meaning of "money paid according to the number of copies printed," "tax (percentage) on printing" = Inzei became an established term. In other words, the "zei" (tax) in Inzei is not a government tax, but a metaphorical expression for a "share paid at a fixed rate (royalty)."

Modern-day "Inzei"

Nowadays, "publishing without printing," such as e-books, audiobooks, and even digital music distribution, is common. However, the contract structure is essentially the same, and the money paid to authors and composers at a fixed rate every time a copyrighted work is used or sold is customarily still called "Inzei."

In the publishing and music industries, this term "Inzei," which has been used for a long time, is used even without paper printing without being changed. This is an example of a "linguistic convention" continuing.

Differences from terms in other fields

On the other hand, in English, it is common to use the expression "royalty." Even in Japanese, if you use terms like "copyright usage fee" or "usage fee income," it naturally applies to usage that does not involve printing. However, because the term "Inzei" is more widely understood in the Japanese publishing and music industries, it is still widely used today.

Summary

・The term "Inzei" originally referred to "the author's share paid according to the number of copies printed"
・The character for "tax" is used because it means "remuneration paid at a percentage," not a government tax
・Even in cases that "do not involve printing," such as e-books and music distribution, it is customarily still called "Inzei"
・It corresponds to the English "royalty," and strictly speaking, it is correct to call it "copyright usage fee" in Japanese as well

Yes, as you asked, the term "Inzei" is not a legal term.

Legal status

Even if you look at the articles of Japanese laws, such as the "Copyright Act" or the "Civil Code," the term "Inzei" does not appear at all. The expressions used in law are "copyright usage fee" or "consideration," and "Inzei" is merely a customary name used in the publishing and music industries.

Usage in practice

Even in publishing contracts or music publishing contracts, the term "Inzei" is not strictly used in the clauses.

Instead, the contract terms are specified in a format such as, "A royalty fee of X% of the list price shall be paid to the author (or composer/lyricist)."

However, in accordance with industry customs, there are cases where it is expressed as "royalties paid based on this contract," but this is not a legally required term and is used merely for the sake of clarity.

Comparison with English-speaking countries

In English, the term "royalty" is common, and this is used both legally and contractually. What is called "Inzei" in Japan corresponds to what is referred to as "royalty" (copyright usage fee/license fee) in English-speaking countries.

Summary

・"Inzei" is a conventional term unique to Japan and is not a legal term.
・In laws and contract documents, expressions such as "copyright usage fee" or "usage fee" are used.
・There is a historical background where the concept corresponding to the English "royalty" has been called "Inzei" in the publishing and music industries.

While "Inzei" is a familiar industry term, may I emphasize that it is not a strict legal term?

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AI-generated, for reference only.