On July 28, 2026, law enforcement authorities in Japan arrested a man on suspicion of uploading television dramas without authorization from the copyright holder through one of the world’s largest torrent sites, Nyaa (nyaa.si); violating the Copyright Act.
The man is alleged to have acted as the first uploader (Seeder) by first making available the data for the NHK drama Midnight Taxi, a work copyrighted by NHK, in 2026. He allegedly posted a torrent file indicating the location of the data on Nyaa and shared the data with an unspecified number of users through a file-sharing network using P2P (peer-to-peer) technology. He is also suspected of similarly sharing numerous television dramas, primarily NHK works.
The operator of B9GOOD, one of the largest anime piracy sites targeting Japanese users that was subject to criminal enforcement action in 2023, stated that Nyaa had been used as a source of pirated content. Nyaa is therefore considered to be one of the primary sources of copyright infringement on the Internet.
How it works
A key characteristic of a torrent site is that the site’s servers do not store the actual content itself. Instead, they contain only torrent files indicating the location of the data. Users search for torrent files on the site and load them into file-sharing software, enabling data to be exchanged directly between users’ devices via P2P technology.
A person who first makes data available on a P2P network through a torrent site such as Nyaa is referred to as a “first uploader” (Seeder). At the start of distribution, only the Seeder possesses the complete data. Other users receive the data from the Seeder and then share it with other users, thereby spreading it throughout the network. In other words, the Seeder serves as the starting point for the spread of copyright infringement on a P2P network. For this reason, CODA has placed great importance on identifying and taking enforcement action against first uploaders.
It should also be noted that many file-sharing software applications used with torrent sites are designed to upload data automatically while downloading. As a result, simply using such software may constitute a violation of the Copyright Act. Furthermore, not only uploading but also downloading content while knowingly recognizing that it is pirated content may also constitute a violation of the Copyright Act.
Detection and countermeasures
Against this background, Japan’s Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA), an anti-piracy organization, has implemented various measures to combat copyright infringement through Nyaa. In 2019, CODA worked with Google to remove Nyaa’s homepage from Google Search results.
In addition, under the Cross-Border Enforcement Project (CBEP), which CODA has carried out with the support of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) since FY2021, CODA launched an investigation into Nyaa with the aim of identifying uploaders.
During the investigation, CODA successfully obtained information relating to the individual suspected of the infringement by using an analytical tool developed by the Japan Hacker Association, a cooperating organization in the CBEP. Based on this information, the Kyoto Prefectural Police identified the individual through its investigation. Following the police investigation, CODA coordinated the Japanese copyright holders affected by the infringement, ultimately leading to this arrest.
Why it matters
Nyaa was said to have attracted as many as 30 million monthly visits between July 2025 and June 2026; half of which originated from Japan. On Nyaa, large volumes of information relating to globally popular Japanese content, including anime, are uploaded every day, and newly broadcast or streamed dramas and anime are often shared immediately after release. Damage to Japanese content therefore remains severe.
CODA regards the arrest of this first uploader as a landmark case in addressing copyright infringement involving torrent sites. While closely monitoring the details of the case as they are revealed through future investigations and criminal proceedings, CODA will continue to work toward the proper protection of copyright and implement effective measures against similar acts of infringement.
While torrenting enables large volumes of data to be shared quickly and efficiently, its technical and structural characteristics—including the absence of a central server—also make it easier to evade anti-piracy measures. As a result, torrent sites have frequently been abused for the distribution of pirated content and have long been recognized as a major source of copyright infringement.
Further reading
First uploader (seeder) using one of the world’s largest torrent sites, “nyaa,” arrested. Press release. July 29, 2026. Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA)
