Those reports yesterday that four Japanese internet service providers were close to launching a system whereby they would monitor the internet use of their customers, and issue warnings to and ultimately cut off individuals who illegally share content, have been played down, though it seems that talks between the internet firms and music companies on the P2P issue are going better in Japan than elsewhere.
As previously reported, the music companies are putting increasing pressure on the ISPs to take a proactive role in policing the illegal distribution of content by their customers. That would involve introducing technology that monitors net use, and possibly introducing a 'two warnings then you're cut off' system.
The ISPs generally (especially in the US and Europe) aren't too keen on taking on such a role, although reports earlier in the week suggested that the Japanese ISPs had said they would. However, a spokesman for Japan's Telecommunications Carriers Association, which represents many of the country's internet providers, yesterday denied any such commitment had been made by their members. That said, reports continue to say that the ISPs in Japan will discuss the issue next month, and that they are planning on discussing how such monitoring could be achieved rather than ways to avoid having to do it. And according to Billboard, Yoshoio Kojima of the country's songwriter society JASRAC has confirmed that the music firms will also be take part in talks with the ISPs next month, and that the music and net players hope to form a joint committee tasked with "resolving this P2P problem".
As previously reported, although talks between the music and net firms continue in the UK, the ISPs remain resistant towards taking on any P2P policing role. The government has said that if no voluntary agreement is in place by this time next year they will legislate on the matter, forcing the ISPs to take some action, though some - most vocally British Music Rights chief Feargal Sharkey - still advocate a voluntary solution over a legislative one, and would rather see the music and net companies follow their Japanese counterparts in forming a joint committee, rather than waiting for politicians to sort it all out.