PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mutant having a substrate-oxidizing activity superior to that of the known proteins having laccase activity.SOLUTION: The protein is selected from the group consisting of: (a) proteins including an amino acid sequence in which methionine at position 308 of a specific amino acid sequence is replaced by another amino acid; and (b) proteins including an amino acid sequence in which one or more amino acids in a specific amino acid sequence are deleted or replaced or added, and the amino acid at position 308 of the specific amino acid sequence is not methionine, where the protein has an improved laccase activity in comparison to a protein having the specific amino acid sequence.