盗撮男を摘発、福岡地方検察庁に書類送検　（福岡県 博多警察署） February.09.2015

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.”