REMORSELESS UPLOADER ON VIDEO HOSTING WEBSITE FC2 VIDEO FOUND GUILTY
- 10Sep 2015
Decision by Maebashi District Court Ota Branch
On September 1, 2015, a 36-year-old male dispatch worker from Ibo-gun Taishi-cho, Hyogo Prefecture was found guilty by the Maebashi District Court Ota Branch
of unlawfully uploading a large amount of illegal files of MPAA member companies' copyrighted movies to video hosting website FC2 Video, and sentenced to
18 months imprisonment with work, a 3 year suspended sentence and a fine of 500,000 yen.
The man had been using the name of “Kuroiwa Cinema Theater” and similar nicknames to set up new FC2 accounts and repeatedly uploaded large volumes
of illegal files to FC2 Video. JIMCA reported the incidence to the Gunma Prefectural Police Headquarters Cyber Crime Office and requested a crackdown.
As a result, the man was arrested on June 11 this year.
After the verdict was given, the presiding judge admonished the man with harsh words: “It is an illegal offence for the purpose to gain affiliate profit,
which not only disrespects the rights but also brings losses to the rights holder and that is a selfish and malicious act.”
The judge also said, “The intellectual property rights are of great importance, and such an offence would bring enormous losses to the copyright holders.”
Illegally uploading copyrighted works without rights holders’ permission is banned under Copyright Law. Not only is such an offence punishable as a criminal case but also may be subject to a claim of compensation for the losses from the movie companies.
Do not upload illegally!
*Maebashi District Court Ota Branch
pageTopREMORSELESS UPLOADER “KUROIWA CINEMA THEATER” ILLEGALLY UPLOADING TO VIDEO HOSTING WEBSITE FC2 VIDEO ARRESTED!
- 12Jun 2015
Operation by Gunma Prefectural Police Cyber Crime Office and Ota Police Station
On June 11, 2015, police officers from Gunma Prefectural Police Headquarters Cyber Crime Office and Ota Police Station conducted a search of a 36-year-old male dispatched worker's premises in Ibo-gun Taishi-cho, Hyogo Prefecture. They subsequently arrested the individual on suspicion of Copyright Act Violation for illegally uploading a large amount of files of MPAA member companies' copyrighted movies to video hosting website FC2 Video.
The man had been using the name of “Kuroiwa Cinema Theater” and similar nicknames to set up new FC2 accounts one after another. He had been repeatedly uploading large volumes of illegal files to FC2 Video, despite the fact that the illegal video files were taken down by JIMCA and the movie companies, and his accounts suspended by FC2, the operator of the website. The man was an extremely remorseless illegal uploader who had been carrying on his illegal acts, only uploading files by night to avoid being discovered. In addition to consulting with and requesting Gunma Prefectural Police Cyber Crime Office undertake a crackdown, JIMCA provided assistance in examining illegal files for the investigations.
Since Kuroiwa Cinema Theater included in his self introduction the following, “Once again, my account has been suspended. (bowing ☆) I will be acting more carefully. (bowing ☆)”, and always used symbols to signify the titles for the videos uploaded, and since the videos posted by Kuroiwa Cinema Theater were obviously illegal uploads, it is possible that the users who downloaded these videos and praised the uploads in the comment field may also face criminal liability.
In order to eliminate illegal uploading and downloading of movie files as well as to realize a free and wholesome internet environment, JIMCA will continue its endeavors.
*Gunma Prefectural Police
GUILTY VERDICT HANDED DOWN TO MAN ILLEGALLY CAMCORDING MOVIE
Decision by the Fukuoka Summary Court
- 29Mar 2015
A 47-year-old male office worker suspected of violating the Copyright Act and the Anti-Camcording Law was sentenced by the Fukuoka Summary Court to a fine on March 5, and a final guilty verdict was pronounced on March 24. The charges were filed by the Hakata Police Station, Fukuoka Prefecture to the Fukuoka District Public Prosecutors Office on February 9, 2015. (to view the incidence details, please click here)
The man was suspected of violating the Anti-Camcording Law and the Copyright Act, illegally camcording the big hit movie “LUCY” at a cinema in Fukuoka city in September 2014. The suspect admitted the charges. “LUCY” was globally distributed by Universal City Studios LLC., one of the member companies of the MPAA,
A campaign to attract audiences to movie theatres - “Let's Go to the Cinema!” Committee has been actively educating people about the Anti-Camcording Law (in force since August 30, 2007),. The wider film industry has been actively involved in initiatives to eradicate movie theft.
In addition to these activities, JIMCA has been taking various approaches to preventing camcording in cinemas.
These include taking responsibility for the Piracy Hotline of the Anti Illegal Activity Management Division of the Committee, and individually conducting Movie Camcording Prevention Seminars for cinema managers and staff members.
MAN FROM ARITA-CITY, WAKAYAMA PREFECTURE ARRESTED FOR ILLEGALLY UPLOADING MOVIES
Operation by Wakayama Prefectural Police Headquarters Consumer and Environmental Protection Division, and Arita Police Station
- 23Feb 2015
On February 17, 2015, officers from the Consumer and Environmental Protection Division of Wakayama Prefectural Police Headquarters and Arita Police Station arrested a 65-year-old unemployed man suspected of Copyright Act Violation for illegally uploading files of MPAA member companies' copyrighted movies on the P2P file sharing platform “Share”.
The man's unlawful act was found by a cyber patrol of the Consumer and Environmental Protection Division of Wakayama Prefectural Police Headquarters; and JIMCA (Japan and International Motion Picture Copyright Association) assisted in the investigations by identifying pirated movie files. A search was conducted at the man's residence on the same day and equipment such as computers was seized from the scene. The man has admitted to his wrongdoing during the police investigation.
This arrest was made as part of the “Simultaneous Intensive Crackdown on Copyright Infringement Incidences via File Sharing Software” operation. For further details, please refer to the article below.
MAN FOUND GUILTY OF SELLING PIRATED DVDs TO OFFICE COLLEAGUES
Operation by Metropolitan Police Department
- 19Feb 2015
On January 13, 2015, Tokyo Summary Court sentenced a male office worker in his 50s to a fine of 200,000 JPY for the offence of violating the Copyright Act, and a guilty verdict became final on January 30.
The man sold pirated movie copies, illegally duplicated without the authorization of the rights' holders, to his colleagues at an office in Tokyo.
The Metropolitan Police Department conducted a search in July 2014 and seized computers and printers used for duplicating DVDs from his office, and approximately 6,000 pirated DVD-Rs from his residence.
Japan and International Motion Picture Copyright Association (JIMCA) provided assistance in the investigation by identifying pirated copies of MPAA member companies' movie titles possessed and sold by the suspect.
Using his office computers to duplicate DVDs rented from rental shops and to manufacture pirated DVD-R copies, the man had been selling pirated DVD-Rs to his colleagues for a price of 200 yen per copy.
Even if it is done in a closed environment such as a company, producing or selling pirated DVDs brings significant losses to the creative community. These actions are in violation of the Copyright Act and often result in criminal punishments.
If you suspect any person or store of illegally selling pirated DVDs and/or Blu-ray discs as well as any pirated trading on the internet for movies, please kindly contact us via the Piracy Hotline as noted on this website, and provide us with further information.
CHARGES FILED TO THE FUKUOKA DISTRICT PUBLIC PROSECUTORS OFFICE AGAINST MAN SUSPECTED FOR ILLEGALLY CAMCORDING MOVIE
Operation by Hakata Police Station, Fukuoka Prefecture
- 9Feb 2015
On February 9, 2015, the Community Safety Investigation Division, Hakata Police Station, Fukuoka Prefecture filed charges against a 47-year-old male office worker on suspicion of Copyright Act Violation to the Fukuoka District Public Prosecutors Office.
The man was suspected of violating the Anti-Camcording Law and the Copyright Act, illegally camcording the big hit movie “LUCY” globally distributed by Universal City Studios LLC., one of the member companies of the MPAA, at a cinema in Fukuoka city in September 2014, and has admitted the charges.
Secretly using a video camera and a digital voice recorder, the man was illegally camcording the movie at a cinema in Fukuoka city, and the act was discovered by a cinema customer who then reported it to the cinema staff, which led to the activation of the case.
Not only did the man modify his pilot lights on both the top of the camera and the lens to be unseen, but also he possessed a video camera specially altered for illegal camcording with its stand able to be fixed to a drink holder on a cinema chair. After receiving a report from the cinema staff, officers from the Fukuoka Police Station rushed to the scene, brought the man to the police station, and conducted further investigations.
As the title was globally distributed by Universal City Studios LLC., Japan and International Motion Picture Copyright Association (JIMCA) received a request from the Community Safety Investigation Division, Hakata Police Station and provided full support on the investigation, jointly examining evidence with TOHO-TOWA Company, Limited, distributor of Universal City Studios LLC.’s titles in Japan.
Regarding illegal camcording in cinemas, “Let's Go to the Cinema!” Committee has been widely making announcements about the Anti-Camcording Law, which came into force on August 30, 2007, and has been conducting Movie Theft Prevention Campaigns for the purpose of permeating the law. The entire film industry has been making best efforts on eradicating movie theft.
In addition to these activities, JIMCA has been diligently taking different approaches to preventing camcording in cinemas, including taking charge of the Piracy Hotline of Anti Illegal Activity Management Division of the Committee and individually conducting Movie Camcording Prevention Seminars for cinema managers as well as staff members.
Mr. Hiroyasu Matsuoka, President of TOHO-TOWA Company, Limited, said, “It was very unfortunate that one of our titles we distributed was recorded illegally. We appreciate all the people from Hakata Police Station, the cinema where “Lucy” was screened, JIMCA, and other concerned parties for their kind cooperation and all endeavors that they made from the start until filing charges against the offender. Along with continuously bringing great titles to our customers, we together with other concerned parties will keep pouring our efforts into eradicating illegal recording in cinemas in the future.”
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