Japanese record industry raided

Lasse Penttinen
26 Aug 2004 8:06

The anti-monopoly agency of Japan has raided a number of major companies on Thursday. The companies are suspected of blocking other firms from offering ring tone services to cellular phone users. According to the source, around 300.000 songs are delivered to Japanese mobile phones daily. The irony of the incident naturally is that recently it has been the music industry (RIAA) raiding the consumers, but at the 'other side of the world' things really have gone the other way around.

Fair Trade Commission official Toshihiko Oizumi said investigators suspect more than 10 companies violated Japan's fair trade laws by preventing the Japanese mobile phone operators from offering the service.
Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music, EMI-Toshiba Ltd., Avex Inc., Victor Entertainment Inc. and Label Mobile Inc. were among those raided, said Oizumi. He refused to disclose all the record companies' names.