BitTorrent User Arrested for Uploading TV Programmes

A man from Saitama Prefecture who was distributing recorded TV programmes free via BitTorrent was arrested for vialating copyright laws.

This is the first time a Torrent user was arrested in Japan.

Read on for details.
(Japanese)時事ドットコム：テレビ番組を無断配信＝共有ソフト「ビットトレント」－容疑で無職男逮捕・警視庁

(Japanese)テレビ番組を無断配信容疑　「ビットトレント」で初の逮捕 - 47NEWS（よんななニュース）

Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's Cyber Crime Investigation Centre and Mejiro Police Station arrested a 30-year-old man from Saitama, described as unemployed, on account of distributing TV programmes via BitTorrent.

According to the press, during 4th to 9th, June, the suspect made three programmes including TV Asahi's Pussma available for downloading. Aside from the three, he is believed to have distributed 165 programmes furing February to July, 2010.

The suspect is said to have admitted to the charges, confessing he "did it for the people who missed the airing" and he believed that "BitTorrent was virus-free as well as police-free."

According to TMPD's Cyber Crime Investigation Centre, this is the first time a BitTorrent user was arrested in Japan.