International Organization Formed to Fight Manga, Anime Piracy Sites

Hello everyone.

Welcome to "Learn Japanese from the News."

Thanks for joining us.

In this program, we'll learn Japanese and more about the country through Japanese news stories.

Chiara, are you a fan of Japanese anime and manga?

Well, I'm no expert, but definitely, I've watched and read quite a few since in Japan they're such an important part of the popular culture.

Right.

I'd say Ghibli movies are one of my favorites, especially "Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi," or "Spirited Away."

Yeah, that's a really famous one!

Our news story today is about a problem that poses a serious threat to the manga and anime industries.

"International Organization Formed to Fight Manga, Anime Piracy Sites" Copyright protection groups and government agencies have created an international organization

to combat manga and anime piracy on the internet.

Before we go to the news clip, let's go over a few words to listen out for.

"chosakuken" copyright.

"kaizokuban-saito" piracy site.

"higai" damage, or more specifically in this case, financial damage.

OK, let's watch the news clip.

Piracy sites that put manga and anime
on the internet without permission have become a problem worldwide.

A publishing industry group looked at
the 10 most visited piracy sites.

They found the (financial) damage
amounts to more than 1 trillion yen.

That exceeds sales from
authorized books and websites.

For this reason, government agencies
and others from 13 nations including Japan, the U.S.,
South Korea, and the Philippines

have formed an organization
for protecting copyrights.

Piracy site operators are often
based overseas to avoid being caught.

So it's important for countries
around the world to cooperate.

The organization plans to collect info
on websites that violate the law and pass it on to police
in other countries.

Now, let's review some sentences from the story.

"Piracy sites that put manga and anime on the internet without permission have become a problem worldwide."

"kyoka ga nai noni manga ya anime o intaanetto ni dasu

kaizokuban-saito ga sekai de mondai ni natte imasu"

"kaizokuban" means "pirated version" or "bootleg copy."

It refers to manga, anime, movies, and so on that have been reproduced without authorization from the copyright holder.

These copies have essentially been "stolen" from the creator, something "kaizoku" or "pirate" might do.

Yeah, "ban" is a word you hear quite often.

Yes, that's right.

It means "version" or "edition."

Take this best-selling Japanese manga.

We call the original Japanese version "nihongoban," and the English translation "eigoban."

So you also see "ban" used in the context of movies and streaming sites.

So you have the "jimakuban," or "subtitled version," and the "fukikaeban," which has been dubbed.

I found that watching Japanese drama and movies with English subtitles was really helpful for learning Japanese, because you learn how people really speak, and common turns of phrase.

Right.

And another good word to know is "genteiban," which means "limited edition."

Now, in Japan you will see people eagerly lining up to buy "genteiban" or "shokai-genteiban," these first-run limited editions of books, CDs, and manga, and there's even limited edition snacks.

All right, let's move on to the following sentence.

"Government agencies and others from 13 nations have formed an organization for protecting copyrights."

"juusan no kuni no seifu nado ga chosakuken o mamoru tame no

dantai o tsukurimashita" The keyword here is "chosakuken."

Let's check in with Tokunaga-sensei to learn more.

"Chosakuken" means "copyright."

One of the meanings of "ken"
is "kenri," which means "right."

Whatever precedes "-ken"
indicates what kind of right.

So "chosakuken" refers to a right
belonging to the creator of a work.

That includes works such as
manga, anime, and music.

Many other words
can take "-ken" as a suffix.

"Senkyoken" refers to
the right to vote in elections.

"Eijuuken." If you obtain this right,
you can reside in a country permanently.

If you come across the word "ken," pay close attention
to the word it's attached to.

Inside Japan.

Now in the digital age, "chosakuken" is more important than ever.

Using or reproducing someone else's work without permission is copyright infringement, and can result in a fine or imprisonment.

Yeah, it can be very difficult.

When I was the editor in chief of a website about Japan and we were writing articles about places in Japan, we had to be really, really careful.

Because it's Japan.

There's characters everywhere.

And you'll see a tiny little character in the background, and that's already sort of a gray zone.

Wow.

So you have to be quite careful.

What does the Japanese public think about copyright laws?

It's very "aimai" as to
what the law allows.

My impression is that
the law is quite "aimai."

So, both groups answered "aimai," which means "vague" or "ambiguous."

Right. The line between fair use and copyright infringement can be blurry.

Now, let's take a look at an example that you may be familiar with.

Meet Learnjapanda, your new favorite, completely hypothetical, mascot.

Oh isn't he cute!

Yeah. Let's say you make a Learnjapanda "kyaraben" for your kid.

Ah yes, a character-themed "bento" boxed lunch.

Yes, that's right.

Now, if you post a picture of your "kyaraben" to social media, do you think that's copyright infringement?

Um, well, I can think that a lot of talented parents would be very tempted to put their photos up online.

I made a "kyaraben" today earlier.
We went to Hibiya Park to eat it.

I believe it's OK to post a pic
of a "bento" you made yourself.

We consulted lawyer Takahashi Tomonori.

If it's for your own private use
or your family's use, that doesn't constitute
copyright infringement.

So making a bento crafted in
the likeness of a character is fine.

But posting that to social media
exposes it to a wide audience.

If the author takes issue with that,
it becomes copyright infringement.

You might come across
such pictures on social media.

It's likely the author is allowing it
to encourage fan interaction or because they recognize
the promotional value.

Be cautious when posting
such images to social media.

Takahashi adds that we should also be careful about the images we use in our profile pictures.

Using the likeness of an anime character, for example, can become copyright infringement if the original author takes issue with it.

Yeah, the line between fair use and copyright infringement is definitely "aimai."

But, in the end, it comes down to the creator of the work.

"Kaizokuban saito" and piracy in general...

they really affect the creators and make it hard for them to have a livelihood and affects the sales...

it makes it very difficult for them to continue making the art that we love to see and read.

Right.

As Takahashi explains, "A creative work is the creator's property."

It's important to show them due respect when using their work.

And, that's all for today.

We'll see you next time.

Thanks for joining us.