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Two Arrested for Unauthorized Screenings of Anpanman Short
posted on by Egan Loo
Police in Osaka arrested 73-year-old Teruki Kitano and his oldest son Yukiyasu Kitano on Thursday for allegedly screening a Soreike! Anpanman anime short without the copyright holders' permission. The two Osaka-based film exhibitors denied the charges, "We thought the film supplier got permission."
According to the Toyonaka Minami Police Station, the suspects screened the 1998 short "Soreike! Anpanman: Anpanman to Okashi na Nakama" 10 times between September 7 and October 20 in seven halls in Osaka City, Sakai City, and other locations. They allegedly sold about 930 tickets for about 800 to 900 yen (about US$8-9) each. They obtained the short's film reel from a Tokyo company that reportedly did not have the copyrights.
Under the company name "Nihon Movie Kikaku" (Japanese Movie Project), the suspects screened anime films and other works in various rented halls since 1998.
