Japanese piracy law enforcement is tough. It doesn't matter whether that's the selling of customized figures or illegal uploading of games, the authorities are so not pussy footing around. Consider what happened to Takashi Matsuda.
The 47-year-old company employee was arrested on the evening news for violating Japanese copyright law and was dragged away in shame.
The police arrested the man for uploading the twenty-seventh episode of Kamen Rider 000 on a California-based server for unauthorized streaming. According to RBB Today, the man admitted that he had been uploading episodes "since around this January."
Blocking the doorway was a cardboard box for an Anpanman children's toy.
Japanese netizens have been quick to criticize the man, wondering why a 47-year-old was uploading episodes of Kamen Rider 000, a program aimed primarily at kids.
One shot showed the man being hauled away with his face buried in his hands in disgrace.
In recent years, video game makers have also began waging a war on game piracy, with Nintendo even opening a tips line for informants. Companies like Nintendo claim to have lost money because of Nintendo DS piracy—something that is no doubt true.
Under Japanese law, it's not only illegal to upload copyrighted material without permission, it's also illegal to download it. This legislation is extremely unpopular in Japan.
Even with these strict copyright laws, there must be more serious, far more detrimental crimes that deserve televised takedowns. Japan is safe, sure, but this is overkill.
-Brian Ashcraft
