Shinjuku company busted for illegal sale of AKB40 photos

TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police on Thursday announced the bust of a production and sales company based in Shinjuku Ward on charges of copyright infringement for the sale of photos of idol groups, reports the Sankei Shimbun (June 4).

Kiyohiro Iguchi, the 61-year-old president of Aim, is accused of selling unauthorized reproductions of photographs featuring members of AKB48 and other groups from its outlet in the Akihabara area of Chiyoda Ward between December of 2012 and October of last year.

Iguchi has reportedly admitted to the allegations, telling police that he earned between 100 million and 300 million yen annually from the sales. The photographs were sold for 400 yen each.

In 2012, Iguchi was arrested on charges of tax evasion for concealing approximately 170 million yen in income over a two-year period.