Before you repost a customer's photo in Japan

A customer posts a beautiful photo of your product and tags the brand. Before putting it on the Japan account or in an advertisement, make the intended use clear and check that the necessary permissions cover it.

This is easiest when the team has a repeatable workflow rather than deciding separately for every image.

Define the intended use first

Write down where the image will appear. An organic Instagram post, a paid advertisement and a website banner are different uses. Include the intended duration and any planned crop, overlay or translation.

Ask for permission that matches that use. Keep the request specific enough that the person can understand what they are agreeing to. Record the agreed credit and any restrictions.

Check who can authorize it

Confirm who created the photograph and whether the person sharing it can authorize the use you want. Other people or artwork in the image may introduce further questions.

Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs provides guidance on common copyright situations. Its guidance on using another person's work also notes that other rights and usage conditions may need checking. Resolve uncertain cases with a qualified adviser before use.

Keep a small permission record

We recommend recording the original post URL, the creator, the permission evidence, approved channels and any end date. Add the final asset version so the team can see which crop or edit was approved.

Store only the personal information needed to manage the permission. Give the people scheduling the campaign access to the usage conditions without circulating unrelated customer details.

Check again when the use changes

Moving an organic post into paid advertising is a good point to review the original agreement. The same applies when a regional team wants to use the image on another website or change the message substantially.

Build the check into the publishing brief. If the rights are not clear, use an asset you own while the question is resolved. Attribution by itself should not be treated as a complete permission process.