On July 14, three individuals who had been arrested by the Miyagi Prefectural Police Headquarters and Shiogama Police Station on June 23, 2021, for uploading movies to YouTube without permission from the copyright holders, were indicted on charges of violating copyright law.
The three indicted individuals edited films, including I Am a Hero owned by Toho Co., Ltd., and Cold Fish owned by NIKKATSU CORPORATION, into shortened versions of approximately 10 minutes, adding narration. These so-called “fast movies” were uploaded to YouTube between June and July 2020, allowing the individuals to unfairly earn advertising revenue.
This case marked the first nationwide crackdown on such activities and serves as a successful example of using international enforcement procedures to identify the uploaders. CODA sees this as a major achievement, as it prevented the further spread of copyright infringement through “fast movies.”
CODA had been concerned about the penetration and spread of “fast movies” among the younger generation, as well as the potential increase in damages. However, thanks to the swift action by the Miyagi Prefectural Police Headquarters and Shiogama Police Station, it was possible to address this issue early, which is a key aspect of anti-piracy measures.
CODA extends its sincere thanks to the Miyagi Prefectural Police Headquarters, Shiogama Police Station, and all those involved for their efforts in leading to the arrest of the “fast movie” uploaders.
Moving forward, CODA will continue to collaborate with rights holders to conduct joint international enforcement procedures and strive to eradicate “fast movies” while ensuring the proper protection of copyrights.
■ “Fast Movie” Uploaders Arrested (June 23, 2021)
https://coda-cj.jp/en/news/572/
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About CODA
CODA (Content Overseas Distribution Association) was established in 2002 at the call of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Agency for Cultural Affairs to promote the overseas development of Japanese content and take anti-piracy measures. Japan’s proud content, including music, movies, anime, broadcast programs, video games, and publishing, plays an important role in enhancing the nation’s international presence and economic growth. As digital technology becomes more widespread, it is even more significant to protect Japan’s content from increasingly artful copyright infringement and promote the content industry’s development. CODA contributes to the deterrence and detection of online and other piracy, by sharing knowledge with relevant government agencies, organizations, and companies in Japan and abroad, to engage in direct and indirect anti-piracy measures, as well as public relations activities. Visit https://coda-cj.jp/en/activity/ for more information on CODA’s projects