Japan will aim to tighten its grip on copyright enforcement after a government panel on Friday called for making it a crime to download still images from manga, novels and other literary works without permission.
The panel's final report to the Cultural Affairs Agency pointed to the need to crack down on piracy websites and urged the government to consider broadening the scope of punishable acts — now restricted to unauthorized downloads of videos and music — to all materials, including images.
It concluded violators should face up to two years in prison, a fine of up to ¥2 million, or both.