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March 2, 2010
JASRAC
Japanese Society for Rights of Authors,
Composers and Publishers (JASRAC)
Man Arrested on Suspicion of Illegal Music Distribution by Setting up Links to
Music Files Uploaded onto Foreign Online Storage Site
The Community Safety Department, Economic and Social Affairs Division of Hokkaido Prefectural Police Headquarters and the Hokkaido Sapporo Area Chuo Police Station announced yesterday that they had arrested a 46-year-old man on suspicion of copyright infringement (right of making available to the public). The man is alleged to have allowed the general public to download MP3 files of musical works administered by JASRAC, by uploading the music files onto an online storage site and setting up links to the music files on an automated link directory site without authorization.
The man allegedly set up a site titled "Kyokuhari Seieitachino Tamariba" (direct translation: "Lounge of the Elite Music Posters") on a free automatic link directory rental service called "ALINK," posted links to music files uploaded onto an online storage site based overseas called "MediaFire," and conducted unauthorized transmissions. This case's heinousness is characterized by the defendant's uploading of music files to an online storage site operated abroad in a blatant attempt to elude blame.
The man is the first person arrested for copyright infringement, where the setting up of links to music files uploaded to a foreign online storage site was alleged to be an illegal music distribution.
Illegal music distribution is a hindrance to the development of music culture, and JASRAC vows its continued cooperation with the police in proactively eradicating illegal music distribution over the Internet.
*Automatic Link Directory: A site where the operator of the site or visitors to the site can register links to other sites, and show them as a list, making access to the linked sites easier.
The downloading of music from sites conducting illegal transmissions and P2P software networks under the knowledge that the music is being uploaded illegally became an illegal act as of January 2010 due to an amendment to the Japanese Copyright Law.
For more information on the amended Copyright Law, please refer to the Japanese government's Internet video (available in Japanese only).
(http://nettv.gov-online.go.jp/prg/prg2824.html) |
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