It’s the dark side of manga’s worldwide fame while Japanese comics are winning hearts across the globe, they’re also facing a staggering wave of digital theft. A new report by Japan’s anti-piracy watchdog, the General Incorporated Association ABJ, has revealed that unauthorized e-book websites are costing Japan’s publishing industry an estimated 55 billion dollars a year.
ABJ, which includes major publishers and telecom companies, tracked over 900 pirate websites in June, analyzing visits and time spent on each. Their findings paint a troubling picture: readers can consume a manga that normally costs about 500 yen (roughly $3.20) in just 30 minutes on these illegal sites. Using that measure, researchers projected annual damages of nearly 8.5 trillion yen, a number that highlights how deeply piracy cuts into the creative economy.
These sites aren’t limited to Japan. They’re drawing massive traffic from regions including Indonesia, the United States, and across Asia and the West, showing that manga’s global appeal has unfortunately fueled a global problem. ABJ’s previous reports focused only on the top 10 sites, but this expanded study its largest yet reveals the sheer scale of international losses and the need for stronger cross-border action.
ABJ’s public relations official, Ito Atsushi, expressed hope that more operators of these pirated platforms will face criminal charges. But he also emphasized the importance of expanding authorized manga distribution, ensuring that fans worldwide can support creators legally and directly.
Because while piracy may offer free access, it comes at a high cost—the future of Japan’s storytelling legacy itself.
