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Recent Developments In Copyright Protection For Computer Software In The United States And Japan, Yutaka Nakamura

Washington International Law Journal

Many current legal issues pertaining to copyright of computer software involve defining the scope of protection of non-literal expression, such as "user interface" and "look and feel," in contrast to literal expression, such as "source code," to which ownership may be more clearly attributed. Superficially, it appears that the case law pertaining to non-literal expression is developing differently in Japan and the United States. This comment demonstrates that, however, while Japanese and U.S. courts have been applying formally different analytical criteria, the decisions of both have been similar in seeking equity-oriented solutions.