This study considers the relationship between architectural records and the Copyright Act of Japan. There are three types of limitations and exceptions to copyright: (i) for the “National Archives of Japan, etc.” and “local archives, etc.”; (ii) for “libraries, etc.”; and (iii) for the consignor. We clarified the following points: (1) materials under the copyright protection period are unusable or unintentionally usable because the limitations and exceptions differ depending on the archives; and (2) it is difficult for the archives to not only use the materials but also accept them because the consignee’s copyright is limited to ensure efficient operations.
