Ban planned on imports of Japanese CDs

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

-----Original Message-----
From: IKEDA Nobuo <ikeda-nobuo () rieti go jp>
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 07:30:09 
To:dave () farber net
Cc:ikeda-nobuo () rieti go jp
Subject: [IP] Ban planned on imports of Japanese CDs

> The Cultural Affairs Agency plans to submit a bill to the current Diet
> session to revise the Copyright Law with the aim of banning the import
> of low-priced Japanese music compact discs pressed abroad for overseas
> markets for a set period from January, sources said. 
>
> The move is a response to growing calls from the music industry for the
> introduction of the ban, the sources said. 
>
> Many Japanese music companies say they are being hurt by the cheaply
> priced imports that mostly target the Asian region. 
>
> The agency is considering limiting the ban to about five years in
> anticipation of consumer resentment to the move. 
>
> Japanese record companies permit overseas companies to produce and sell
> CDs of Japanese music--which is popular in other parts of Asia--abroad
> on condition they do not merchandise the products in Japan. 
>
> Since the CDs are cheaper than Japanese-made ones to meet local price
> levels, an increasing number of discount stores and other retailers
> import and sell them in Japan. 
>
> The Japanese music industry had asked the government to introduce
> measures to counter the influx of imports on its international
> operations. 

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20040218wo12.htm

As the US car industry struggled to survive by banning the import of
Japanese cars, Japanese music industry is trying to protect their cartel
by banning the import of their own product. This is the "intellectual
property strategy" of Japan.

-- 
Ikeda, Nobuo
RIETI(Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry)
http://www.rieti.go.jp/en/

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