News Releases

Aug. 28, 2014
JASRAC
Japanese Society for Rights of Authors,
Composers and Publishers (JASRAC)

Copyright infringement using file-sharing software “μTorrent ”
2 persons arrested for illegally uploading music data files

The Cybercrime Division, Community Safety Department of the Fukuoka Prefectural Police Headquarters and the Kasuya Police Station arrested two persons who were making music and other data files available to the public over the Internet using the “bit torrent”-type file-sharing software “μTorrent”.

The 2 persons were, a 22-year-old man living in Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture, arrested on August 28, 2014, and a 36-year-old man living in Oita City, Oita Prefecture, referred to prosecutors on August 19, 2014.

Both of them are suspected of infringing copyright (public transmission rights) by making music data files containing JASRAC repertoire available to an indefinite number of Internet users without authorization, and JASRAC took legal action on July 8, 2014.

As a measure against copyright infringement through illegal file-sharing, the Consortium against Copyright Infringement via File-Sharing Software (CCIF) was jointly established by right holders organizations and internet service providers organizations. Since 2010, CCIF has sent out e-mails requesting users of file-sharing software “Winny” to delete illegal files. In 2011, CCIF added users of file-sharing software “Share” to the above e-mailing list, and from April 2014 it added users of “gnutella”-type file-sharing software (including “Cabos”) as well as “bit torrent”-type file-sharing software to the e-mailing list.

JASRAC will continue to collaborate with the parties concerned and will redouble its efforts to promote the legitimate use of music on the Internet.

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