TOKYO -- Japan's parliament has passed legislation criminalizing the camcording of pics in theaters.

Skedded to go into effect in August, the bill prohibits the use of any recording device in cinemas, with cops authorized to arrest violators. If convicted, pirates can be punished with up to ten years in prison or 10 million yen ($82,645) in fines or both.

In January a coalition of industry orgs, led by the Japan and International Motion Picture Copyright Association (JIMCA), submitted a statement to the government calling for anti-camcording legislation .

According to JIMCA exec director Yasutaka Iiyama, the new law "will make it significantly easier for the police to interdict pirate camcording."

According to a survey conducted by LEK Consulting for the Motion Picture Association, piracy cost the Japanese biz $742 million of potential revenue in 2005, with MPA member companies taking a $216 million hit.

© Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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