Too Long; Didn't Read
Japanese Government Approves New Bill to Criminalize Manga Piracy. New law criminalizes the downloading of unlicensed manga, magazines and academic material with prison sentences of up to two years. Operators of pirate linking sites will also face up to five years behind bars. Internet users will be allowed to download some image-based and academic content for limited private use. New penalties apply from October 1, 2020, but operators of linking sites have less time to adjust, with the new penalties applying from October 2015.