Winny - First Japanese ruling on peer-to-peer software

Australian IT reports that Isamu Kaneko, research assistant at Tokyo University and creator of the Winny (P2P) software and , has been convicted by a Japanese court for copyright violations. The Japanese Court ordered that he pay 1.5 million yen but refused to order that Mr Kaneko serve time in gaol. According to Australian IT, this is the first ruling by a Japanese Court regarding  

The Winny software allowed users to exchange over the internet videos and movies without charge. According to Australian IT, Judge Makoto Himuro held that Mr Kaneko realised that the software would be widely used in its form to violate copyrights. The Himuro J found that nearly ninety percent of files exchanged through Winny were illegally copied.

According to Australian IT, Kaneko had pleaded “not guilty” and would appeal the decision to a higher court.

 
Link to Australian IT article

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