Nine arrested for operating website linked to pirated Japanese-language comics

The website did not host any pirated publications but the police believe it reduced profits for authors as it enabled visitors to read pirated works for free. The annual loss for the publishing industry was estimated at around ¥73 billion ($643 million). The Haruka Yume no Ato website contained links to other sites hosting pirated popular comics such as "Dragon Ball" and "One Piece." Launched in 2011, it once boasted around 30 million visitors per month but has been shut down. One of the nine suspects, Makoto Wauke, 22, said before his arrest, "I didn't intend to make money."