Daily Pulse

Hard Time For Downloaders

From now on, anyone in Japan possessing illegally downloaded music or movies could face up to two years in prison and a 2 million yen ($25,000) fine.

The law has been pushed by the recording industry in Japan, and the Japanese legislature, known as the Diet, discussed the bill for only four hours last June before passing it.

 
Japan remains the second-largest music market in the world, and the recording industry claims that only one in 10 downloads in Japan are legally purchased, with the download music market shrinking 16 percent in 2011. 
 
Unlike in the U.S. or Europe, where similar laws have been enacted, Japan’s anti-downloading act has met with little resistance outside of fringe organizations that advocate for Internet freedom. 
 
The general public seems to accept the law, perhaps because so many pop stars in Japan, or, at least, their management companies, have been very vocal in their support of it. 
 
In the weeks leading up to the law’s implementation, websites of record companies and J-pop fan sites have all featured the same pop-up window warning against illegal downloading with penalties described in clear language. 
 
Many media suggest the Japanese music industry is trying to emulate South Korea, which has had some success in combating piracy, though it has done so with less Draconian threats. 
 
In Korea, Internet providers are required to warn users who illegally download music. Reportedly, 70 percent of those who are warned never download illegally again.
 
Some Web commentators have wondered how the new law will be monitored and enforced, as no details have been disclosed. 
 
In a sense, Japanese music lovers have more of a reason to illegally download, as prices are much more expensive than they are in other countries. 
 
CDs of domestic artists still retail for at least 3,000 yen ($38), with domestic pressings of foreign artists going for at least 2,000 yen ($25). 
 
Single tracks on iTunes cost 150 yen ($1.90) with full albums starting at 1,500 yen ($19).
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