Japanese Governemt Shuts Down Anime Streaming Websites

[Gladis]

The government and major publishers will jointly crack down on online piracy, demanding that operators of websites illegally offering Japanese manga and anime remove such sites, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned.
Starting from Friday, the government and about 30 Japanese publishers will request via e-mail or other means that operators of about 300 websites shut down their sites, on which pirated versions of Japanese manga and anime are available for free, according to sources.

Such unauthorized sites are operated in China, South Korea and Spain. If recipients do not comply with the demand, the Japanese side will warn them that they may face legal action in their own countries' courts, the sources said.

Meanwhile, the government and the publishers are planning to open a website "Manga-Anime here" to introduce sites that release authorized versions of Japanese products, aiming to expand the number of overseas fans who pay fees properly to enjoy the popular works.

Due to the increasing number of works available for free, it has grown difficult for creators and publishers to obtain fees for their work, causing a decline in the entire industry.

Sites subject to removal will likely be those offering about 80 anime titles, including "One Piece" and "Mobile Suit Gundam," and about 500 manga titles, including "Crayon Shin-chan" and "Detective Conan."

So far, respective publishers have been individually taking antipiracy measures, but they have failed to produce desired results.

"Once a popular manga series is released, it is immediately copied illegally and becomes available for free around the world," a source close to the publishing industry said.

According to an estimate by the Cultural Affairs Agency, lost profits resulting from piracy copyright infringement amount to ¥560 billion per year in only four major cities in China.

The government has been making an effort with its "Cool Japan" strategy to promote Japanese culture overseas. The latest action is part of the strategy, and the government hopes to expand the export of Japanese anime and manga by taking a strict stance on piracy.

Source:
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0001460121

So, you people who stream your anime here in west... what is your opinion about all this? Starting on Friday, we can very well expect the sites we usually visit to shut down. I have mixed feelings about this. Even if I think one should pay for anime if it's possible, I also know that a lot of anime is never, and will never be licensed outside of Japan. Most of what is, is licensed in the US, and quite a lot of them never get available outside of there. For me who lives in Sweden, and who's options of enjoying this medium legally are extremely limited, this leaves me slightly worried. I mean, I do pay for what I can, and I would pay for more if it were possible... but... it's just not possible with everything. Besides, I believe this could also sort of kill the western anime community, unless they find ways to license more anime outside of Japan which... I don't think is as easy as they try to make it sound. >.>

 

[PureKor]

I agree with you.

Even if I didn't watched anime in the past years because of my busy life and etc.
They should come to an certain agreement in order to make it better for us, citizens, in the Europe.

It's a bit of a BitterSweet scent and taste for me, purely because I read the manga more than watching anime.
I buy sometimes when it's possible the Manga from the Comic book stores in UK.

I am sure the Nerds, won't be to happy about this. At all. In all honesty they care more about this kind of stuff than any of is will ever will. As I am sure Something will be done about it.

Except this.. Good luck to those who are in charge in resolving this issue the best way possible.~

 

[LunaValentine]

I'm not happy about it. If I like a manga or anime and it's available I will buy it but damnit it's not fair that they refuse to license some really great anime in other countries or only select countries (I'm lookin' at you Mermaid Melody Anime!!! Damnit!) Anyways, I like reading stuff I can't get online. And I love watching anime online and getting to see them in their native language. I'm sure someone will find a work around eventually...I hope... otherwise I won't be introduced to anything new. I won't spend my money on something I'm not sure I'll like. I am a broke college student so no. I will not just "try it out".

 

[Windsong]

Because that's all gone so well for the movie, music, and pornography industry...

 

[PureKor]

Because that's all gone so well for the movie, music, and pornography industry...

I agree with you as well!

It's a true fact actually xD

 

[Levusti]

I definitely understand Japan's perspective on this. It is stealing someones intellectual property and stealing their money.

Buuuuut, there are three things I also have to say on this.
1: No matter if they crack down, this will always happen. I mean, people TOTALLY haven't pirated movies or music before, have they? [/sarcasm]
2: The reason why people pirate is to either get it for free (which will still happen) or to get it because it's unavailable.
3: Couldn't this adversely effect the anime industry? A lot of people are willing to purchase figurines, original language books, drama CDs, soundtracks, and posters even though the availability of the anime is restricted. By shutting down some of these sites, interest in a LOT of anime is going to plummet.


Solution: Promote promote promote purchasing licensed copies. Promote Threaten Make overt suggestions (?) that this industry is failing because of those who pirate or obtain pirated materials. Provide an easier way to license and proactively support those who are willing to go through it the legally.

Easier said than done. =P

Personally, I don't watch much anime and manga anymore now that I don't have time for it since I'm usually working all day, but I understand the struggle on both sides. =/ But if the Western anime community does not realize this, anime may just go kaput. Dead. MUERTO.

 

[AngelNinja2018]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! #SaveJapaneseAnime

 

[Razilin]

Meanwhile, the government and the publishers are planning to open a website "Manga-Anime here" to introduce sites that release authorized versions of Japanese products, aiming to expand the number of overseas fans who pay fees properly to enjoy the popular works.

I fail to see the problem here.

Internet piracy is illegal for a reason, deprives the industry of resources and its economy, and threatens the industry's ability to create more material with which we geeks need to satiate our geek addictions.

And there are sites that stream LEGALLY, such as what the quoted sentence is promoting.

As it is, Funimation, Crunchyroll, and I'm certain EU ad UK have their own legal streaming resources.

I am all about legal streams and legal acquisition of anime and manga.

As with all opinions and arguments, I do have a bias.

1) I make more than enough money with which to selectively buy those things I enjoy, within reason.

2) There's a shit-ton of crappy, overdone garbage in the industry that DOESN'T appeal to me as a consumer, so the lack of their illegally free availability doesn't affect me in the slightest.

 

[Hecatoncheires]

As it is, Funimation, Crunchyroll, and I'm certain EU ad UK have their own legal streaming resources.

EU peep here, with the exception of Netflix (which is limited at best) we don't.

If this law goes the way basically every other anti-piracy law has gone, the Japanese government and the publishers backing this legislation are going to be fighting a losing battle. They will only ever be able to react against pre-existing sites; for every one they manage to shut down, several others will spring up in their wake. It's like playing internet whack-a-mole, only you make a tit of yourself the whole time.

You don't beat piracy by trying to stamp out pirates.

You beat piracy by offering a better service than the pirates do.

 

[Gladis]

We do have Crunshyroll in Sweden, bit it is extremely limited here. Netrlix doesn't have anime here a all. Funimation is only available in north Merica (shame on them, because they tend to have shows Crunshyroll does not >_>). Besdes that, we have no other legal streaming sites here. I can agree that pirates always find a way around the law anyway, a I probably shouldn't worry too much... at the same time I can understand the Japanese government in a way. If it's possible I really do think one should pay. >_>

 

[MurderDeathKill]

This law isn't going to work out very well for Japan.

It's not possible to stop piracy; no matter how hard you try and stamp it out, the pirates will outsmart you, will outlast you and will outnumber you and all you can really do is try and provide a better service than they do in the hope that some of them will be won over by your efforts. Even digital distribution, which did wonders for other forms of entertainment like PC gaming, film and music (even though the RIAA and MPAA are loathe to admit it), has spectacularly failed to end piracy. Not to say that Japan stepping up efforts to provide anime digitally abroad won't be appreciated by many fans, but at the end of the day, this is going to fail. Hell, if this law isn't handled with the finesse it needs, it may end up backfiring enormously and make the situation worse for Japan.

 

[Malkuthe Highwind]

I'm not a big fan of anime or manga in general, however, even I can see where a lot of the hostility from the community is coming from. It's entirely understandable. However, I do also see where the Japanese government and the companies involved are coming from. They do have to keep food on the table. They may have good reasons, but I'm entirely convinced that the way they are doing this is misguided.

As it's been said time and again before this, piracy is very nearly impossible to eradicate.

 

[Kaonia Halelia]

I agree with all the people here. I understand that how the Japanese feel about this and it does suck that us Westies might get our Manga/anime taken away but even if they do shut down these sites, more and more are going to pop up. The internet is a HUGE place, it's like trying to find a needle in a hay stack. No matter how many you shut down, you don't know if you got all of them. The pirates would have kept the video of an anime on their computer or USB and could reupload it onto the internet.