Foreigners arrested in Japan for Pirating Manga
In a recent development, Shueisha, the renowned Japanese publisher, addressed concerns over copyright violations related to its popular manga magazine, “Weekly Shōnen Jump.” The publisher released an official statement on February 5 regarding the arrest of individuals suspected of leaking manga content before its official publication (via Oricon News).
Internationally acclaimed manga titles like One Piece and Jujutsu Kaisen have been frequent targets of leaks, with spoilers, screenshots, and entire chapters circulating on social media platforms and illegal download sites days before the official release dates. Notably, the majority of the market for these leaks consists of non-Japanese audiences. The recent arrests involved two non-Japanese residents who were actively involved in distributing leaked manga (Source: NHK News).
Shueisha reported that on February 4, Japanese authorities detained a company manager and another individual residing in Tokyo, Japan. Both were apprehended under suspicion of violating the Copyright Act, as they were allegedly obtaining and digitizing Weekly Shōnen Jump manga in advance of official release dates, subsequently uploading the content to unauthorized websites.
While Shueisha continues its investigation to identify the primary source of the leaks, the publisher emphasized that the measures taken in this instance represent significant progress in addressing the issue. Their ultimate goal is to prevent similar incidents in the future by eliminating the root cause of the leaks.
The company expressed strong condemnation of manga leaks, considering the distribution via social media and other platforms as an “extremely serious issue.” Shueisha highlighted the negative impact of such actions on readers’ enjoyment and the significant distress caused to manga authors. The publisher affirmed its commitment to pursuing legal action against leakers to “protect the rights of the authors who invest their souls into their creations” and to “ensure readers can properly enjoy manga.”
Interestingly, responses to this incident revealed differing attitudes towards leakers between Japanese and non-Japanese communities. The Japanese public overwhelmingly supports the arrests and ongoing investigation, viewing illicit leaks as a serious crime that harms authors. Conversely, reactions in non-Japanese communities are more mixed, with some expressing concerns about the future of manga leaks.
via Você Sabia Anime
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