海外「日本は時代遅れのものを水族館に改造しました」

With the popularity of smartphones, the number of phone boxes has decreased completely recently.
New ways of using Wi-Fi spots and book rental spaces are being considered.
A copyright law suit has been filed against works of art using such telephone boxes.
It is a lawsuit that advocates the disposal of works that have already been made and the prohibition of new production.

In order for the claim to be recognized, it is assumed that the work falls under the category of “works” referred to in the Copyright Law.
“Written works” do not apply to all works.
It refers to the definition provided by copyright law, not just an idea.
Can it really be a work of art?

[The background of the incident]
The person who filed the lawsuit was Nobuki Yamamoto (hereinafter referred to as Mr. Yamamoto).
He is a contemporary artist, and in 1998 he published a work of art titled “Message.”
“Message” has the following characteristics.

·A case resembling a telephone booth is filled with water and a goldfish is swimming.
·A telephone receiver is fixed in a state of floating in water away from a hanger part, and bubbles come out through a hole where the ear of the receiver is put.

Yutaka Koyama (hereinafter referred to as Mr. Koyama) and the Koriyama Yanagimachi Shopping Street Cooperative (hereinafter referred to as Yanagimachi Shopping Street) were sued.
In cooperation with student organizations, Mr. Koyama published his art work (pictured below) in 2011.