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Harry Watson Afu


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As Harry Watson passed away. I want to ask if his work is any available.

I need a copy of his books Koto & Shinto AFU translations by Harry Watson 

 

Thanks

Chris

 

Maybe the service exists further and someone has a adress to ask for.

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Hi Chris,

To my knowledge, Harry's translations of Fujishiro's Nihon Toko Jiten: Koto & Shnto will no longer be available except on the secondary (used book) market.  I occasionally get in copies; if you send me an email through my website I'll add you to my Customer's Wants List and let you know if I get a set.

Cheers,  Grey

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  • 2 weeks later...

Electronic versions are everywhere.
While he was around, I could understand people not sharing them. But with his passing, and the unavailability of the printed ones, I see less harm. Any counter arguments?

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Hey there!

 

As I am not so familiar with the consept of copywright, is the copywright valid if the work is translation from another language? And if the person who did the translation has passed away, how does the legality of copywright pass? To next of kin etc?

 

For me in modern days it is hard to see that anyone actually has a copywright on any work that can be translated from original text. I can understand it i; earlier decades when internet and other useful electronic tools & search engines were not available but now?

 

And this is truly not to in any way meant to diminish the great accomplishment Harry has done, just to answer my questions.

 

Br,

 

Antti

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Hello:

I am not exactly sure of the meaning of the statement by Brian above: "...the translations were not so much authorized, as ...not". Harry, whose work is admired and very useful to many of us, is not here to explain, but to the best of my knowledge as a Director of the JSS/US at the time those volumes were issued and our organization did have a close relationship with Harry, there was initially some confusion as to the legality of doing the Fujishiro Koto ands Shinto volumes, however on a visit to Japan on his part any misunderstanding was resolved to the satisfaction all parties. As for the issue of copyright, one would have to ask a lawyer.

Arnold F.

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Hi guys,

It is my understanding, and I may be mistaken, that Harry did not have permission from someone associated with Nihon Token Jiten (whether the Fujishiro family or others) to do the translation of the 2 volumes, that he got into a bit of hot water because of it, and that is why the hardbound translations were never reprinted.  Harry was selling digital copies of the translation after the books were circulated; I don't know how legit or otherwise that may have been.

My other understanding is that Harry did have permission from the owners of the rights to Nihonto Koza to do his translations and publishing of that set.

Grey

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And then a number of years ago someone in Europe apparently had Harry's books copied/republished without his permission.  And then all went quiet.  I was aware of the original issues as discussed above but the later issue seems to be either unknown, unrecognized or unmentioned...

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No-one will take away from the great service Harry provided to the community. He opened roads that were previously closed to many of us.
That said, my understanding is the same as Grey's. And that since they were already "done" the matter was considered closed as long as he did not reprint them. But electronic copies were sold, although not advertised.And frankly, there can be no copyright on this anymore, maybe on the Nihonto Koza (because those were officially done) but electronic translations of Fujishiro? No way. Stephen seems to have gotten the info first hand, so let's take that as the final word.
I would not condone anyone printing or distributing the translations for profit, but sharing the electronic file after he has passed? Who is the loser here? Not his family since they may not sell them anyways.

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Copyright laws are very complex, but, in essence, once something has been put down on paper, or electronically, someone owns it until the copyright runs out. According to the U.S. Copyright Office:

 

The duration of copyright in these works is generally computed the same way as for works created on or after January 1, 1978: life plus 70 years or 95 or 120 years, depending on the nature of authorship. However, all works in this category are guaranteed at least 25 years of statutory protection.

 

Could someone ask his family if they will let them be freely distributed?

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He is not considered the author and translations are not considered copyright in this case, especially without official permission of the original publisher.
You can't just translate something on your own and then say you now have the copyright.
I am not even pursuing this, it is well known that he was not allowed to sell the electronic versions. Period.
Copyright of translated works remains with the original publishers, he does not, and did not, have copyright. See https://www.quora.com/Is-it-illegal-to-translate-a-book-and-post-the-translation-online-If-I-translate-an-English-book-into-Chinese-and-post-it-to-my-blog-will-I-get-sued-by-the-English-publisher-author

I am not sure when Fujishiro was published in Japan, but that is where the copyright lies. Doesn't change the fact that we all owe him a debt of gratitude.
And I think it beyond the scope of this particular remembrance topic to be discussing this further, so we need to cease discussion about this and get back to remembering the man himself.
 

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I never met him in person but we exchanged emails. He seemed like a good person who wanted to help (eg he said he could try to dig out some old copies of the Koza, obviously by then long out of print, from his shed as I needed them).

The Anglophone nihonto community owes him a debt of gratitude for translating these seminal texts (Fujishiro and Koza) regardless of whether that was done in an apocryphal way or not. So he has helped further our knowledge and understanding massively and gave us “educational light” in the fashion Prometheus did (without the consent of the other titans). For that we should be grateful and respectful. May he rest in peace.

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