Kyodo News has reported that Hokkaido Prefectural Police's Iwamizawa Station arrested a 53-year-old male construction worker from Minamisouma-city, Fukushima Prefecture, on suspicion of copyright infringement on February 7. According to the police, the suspect sold three mouse pads using anime character images, including from Sword Art Online whose copyright is owned by Kadokawa, without permission via an internet auction site between November 2014 and June 2015.

In Japan, copyright infringement carry a maximum 10 year prison sentence and a 10 million yen (about 85,400 US dollars) fine.

Source: Kyodo News via: Nikkan Sports

"Sword Art Online" anime image (C)2014 Reki Kawahara/KADOKAWA Ascii Media Works/SAO Project

Related:

38-year-old Man Arrested for Posting "GATE" Episodes onto Video Sharing Site

Another 2 Chinese Arrested for Uploading "The Seven Deadly Sins" Manga

4 Men Arrested for Posting "One Piece" Latest Chapter Before Release

Man Arrested for Selling Pirated "Love Live!" Badges

Police Arrested Man Who Posted Robot Anime Videos, Theme Songs

50-Year-Old Unemployed Man Arrested for Uploading Manga via PerfectDark

High School Teacher Arrested for Uploading "Kuroko's Basketball" Manga

Unemployed Man Arrested for Uploading "Liar Game" Manga

40 People Arrested for Illegal Uploading of Anime, TV Drama in 3 Days

45-Year-Old Man Arrested for Selling Pirated Anime Stickers in Akihabara

Government Official Arrested for Posting "Gundam Unicorn" Episodes onto Video Sharing Site FC2

48-year-old Man Arrested for Uploading "Yo-Kai Watch" Anime Episode

Man Arrested for Selling One Dollar Bills with "One Piece" Images

46-year-old Unemployed Man Arrested for Posting "Maken-Ki! Two" on Video Sharing Site FC2

Two Japanese Men Arrested for Uploading "Berserk," "K-ON!" Manga

Man Arrested for Uploading "Attack on Titan" Manga 10th Volume

Man Arrested for Posting "Crayon Shin-chan" and "Black Jack" Anime on Video Sharing Site FC2

39-year-old Man Arrested for Uploading "Attack on Titan," "One Piece" TV Anime Episodes

Chinese Man Arrested for Selling Pirated Boa Hancock Figures