About Geidankyo

　Our country is a goldmine of varied and colorful performing arts unmatched by any other nation in the world. In 1965, our predecessors assumed a pivotal role in the field by establishing the Japan Council of Performers' Rights & Performing Arts Organizations, known in Japanese as Geidankyo. Half a century later, the organization’s operations cover two main areas: managing performers' neighboring rights through the Center for Performers' Rights Administration (CPRA), and promoting performing arts with Geino-Kadensha as the hub.

　Performing arts have been a part of peoples' lives throughout history, and have long been loved, recognized and supported. This has not only kept them alive, but has also made them indispensable in today's society. Everybody involved in the performing arts experiences people’s naked emotions in their lives. To ensure that the scene continues to thrive, it is of vital importance to collect and store the potential to patiently cultivate the fertile ground in which such arts grow, and to nurture the seeds that are sown in it.

　In 2012, we could become a public interest incorporated association. Following long-term efforts on various movement in promoting cultural development, 2012 was a fruitful year for us. One was the legislation and enactment of the Act on the Promotion of Theaters and Concert Halls, etc, which was the first law established for realizing an individual policy under the basic principle provided by the Fundamental Law for the Promotion of Culture and Arts. Another was the Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances, which was adopted by member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization in June 2012. In May 2013, the League of Representatives and Senators for Issues of Music changed its name to the Representatives and Senators for Issues of Arts and Culture in order to address various issues related to arts and culture. However, we must not rest on our laurels, as these are just the seeds we have planted. We will continue to plow on with determination in order for big flowers to blossom from these little seeds.

　Geidankyo strives to help the performing arts bloom with deep, strong roots. The performing arts need people who pursue both the heights and the depths of their disciplines and maintain creativity in their hearts, together with the power to spread the message; it is only when such individuals come together to form this kind of organization that real strength—the kind that individuals alone cannot aspire to—is brought out and evolves into concrete activities that help the performing arts to bloom and to spread deep roots. Based on this organizational approach, I truly believe that devoting our energies to achieving the ideal of a spiritually enriched society through the performing arts will contribute to the further development of Japan’s artistic and cultural wellbeing.