A group of major private music school operators said Tuesday they intend to take legal action against Japan's largest copyright collection group after it emerged it would from next January levy copyright fees on schools using its music.

The music school operators said they planned to file a lawsuit against the Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers (JASRAC) with the Tokyo District Court as early as July, a representative told The Japan Times.

In February, JASRAC informed several hundred private music school operators it will begin collecting copyright fees for the use of sheet music under its management.