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This has been a long legal rodeo, with Japanese authorities cracking down on the sale of R4 cartridges. Things are getting tougher for those gamers in Japan who don't want to pony up cash for their games. R4 cartridges are devices that allow gamers to play pirated games on their Nintendo handhelds, which is why they are under legal fire.


Today, the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry announced that importing such devices is now strictly prohibited by law, 47 News reports. Nintendo, it seems, lead the cry for the importation of these devices be banned in Japan.

The sale of these devices is already punishable by law. This spring, a retailer in Saitama, Japan was arrested for selling R4 cartridges—the first arrest of its kind in the country.


But...what about the honest souls who only use the R4 for homebrew? I'm sure they exist!

「マジコン」を輸入禁止 経産省発表 [47News]

(Top photo: まおか)

Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to 8am.