On Wednesday, March 4, 2026, Akarenga Law Office (Representative Attorney: Hisashi Sugiyama) filed criminal complaints with a police station in Tokyo against individuals for the illegal uploading of AV (adult video) copyrighted works using BitTorrent, and these complaints have been formally accepted. Currently, in our legal response to copyright infringement, we are moving to transition cases to criminal proceedings if they cannot be resolved early through out-of-court settlements.

[Background to the Acceptance of Criminal Complaints] Since 2022, Akarenga Law Office has been responding to infringements by users who upload and share copyrighted works without permission via BitTorrent. We have commissioned specialized investigation firms and have filed thousands of petitions to date. We collect evidence with a depth that differs from the investigations of other law firms, ensuring that it can withstand scrutiny in criminal cases, taking into account not only court trends but also the nature of copyright infringement cases.

In response to strong requests from copyright holders in light of the current situation, we are actively filing criminal complaints against certain infringers who refuse to engage in settlement negotiations for an early resolution. We have heard that there are some professionals who provide legally irrational advice to copyright infringement perpetrators, such as telling them there is no need to agree to a settlement, and we consider this to be extremely inappropriate as a defense for perpetrators. Therefore, this time, we are specifically targeting perpetrators who have appointed representatives who strongly promote such policies. With the acceptance of the criminal complaints by the Tokyo police station, a full-scale investigation by law enforcement authorities has now begun.

[The Reality of Copyright Infringement Using BitTorrent] BitTorrent is a P2P communication technology that allows users to directly share files in a distributed manner over the Internet, and it was originally developed for the purpose of legitimate data transfer. However, in recent years, its misuse for illegal activities—such as uploading and sharing copyrighted works like videos, music, and books without the permission of the copyright holder—has become a serious issue, and this situation continues to this day.

[Preceding Prosecution Cases] This acceptance of complaints is not the first criminal response for our firm. In February 2025, a Tokyo police station accepted criminal complaints filed by our firm against multiple infringers for the unauthorized uploading of copyrighted works using BitTorrent, and search and seizure operations were conducted. The subjects in that case, like those in the current case, had appointed representatives to negotiate but did not act in good faith and refused settlement negotiations.

[Future Outlook] Akarenga Law Office has received disclosure decisions for all of the thousands of requests for disclosure of sender information filed to date, and we have built a strong track record in identifying infringers. Based on this track record, we intend to continue and expand the filing of criminal complaints against infringers who do not agree to settlements, while continuing to cooperate with police stations nationwide. As illegal downloading and uploading acts can be subject to criminal penalties under the Copyright Act, we are issuing this renewed warning.

[About Akarenga Law Office] - Hisashi Sugiyama: Representative Attorney, Akarenga Law Office (Member of the Sapporo Bar Association) While his primary area of expertise is corporate legal support with an eye toward IPOs, he also has a wealth of experience in copyright infringement cases involving P2P networks and BitTorrent. He is well-versed in both civil and criminal responses regarding illegal file sharing.

Name: Akarenga Law Office Representative: Attorney Hisashi Sugiyama Established: April 1, 2014 Headquarters: 14-1, Minami 1-jo Nishi 5-chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido Office: Sapporo URL: https://akarenga-law.com/

[Inquiries Regarding This Matter] https://forms.gle/Vhi6te8hFfGdCJJEA

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  • Source: PR TIMES
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