Couple arrested on suspicion of violating Japanese Copyright Act

Police in Nara Prefecture arrested Takahiro Nakamura, a 46-year-old company employee, along with his wife Noriko on Thursday on suspicion of violating Japan's Copyright Act by selling unauthorized, custom figures of characters from the popular manga and anime One Piece. The police also searched their home and confiscated approximately 2,000 figures that are thought to have been imported from China.

According to Ms. Nakamura, they began selling the figures about 18 months ago and made a total profit of about 800,000 yen (about US$10,000). The police believe that the two sold the figures to about 160 individuals across 37 of Japan's 47 prefectures.

Last month, police in Chiba Prefecture arrested and searched the home of 33-year-old Yūichi Inamura from Tokyo on suspicion of violating Japan's Copyright Act by selling unauthorized, custom figures of the female characters from One Piece. The Chiba prefectural police are investigating the possibility that Inamura imported figures that were mass-produced in China.

According to the police, Inamura sold three figures of the character Nami on an internet auction site to three men in Nara Prefecture without first acquiring permission from Toei Animation. He allegedly sold them in February and March for approximately 40,000 yen (about US$506) total.

Sources: Tokyo Shimbun, Sponichi