"Aozora Bunko" pointed that extension of the copyright term had been influenced from the document, "The U.S.-Japan Regulatory Reform and Competition Policy Initiative." Through these annual reports, The U.S. Government was requiring that the protected period of copyright should be extended to the Japanese government: 70 years after one's death for a work by an individual, and 95 years after publication for a work by a corporation. In response, the Agency for Cultural Affairs in Japan has expressed that a conclusion was obtained at the Council for Cultural Affairs copyright subcommittee by the end of 2007. If the legal revision which extends a protected period will be actually carried out, "Aozora Bunko" would be forced not to publish books which have already and almost been published because of the 20 years' extension of protection of copyright. Therefore, "Aozora Bunko" released the counter declaration against enforcement of the revised law on 1 January 2005; they started to collect the signatures for a petition on 1 January 2007.