Tokyo (Japan) - The Japanese government has proposed a new tax on iPods and other digital music players. The so-called Copyright Tax would add approximately $1 per device and the estimated $9.5 million annual proceeds would be distributed to recording companies and artists. In Japan, Minidisk and DVD players are also subject to a Copyright tax and it seems the law makers are just trying to level the playing field.
A similar proposal was floated in Japan in December 2005, but was quickly shot down.
Read more ... International Herald Tribune.
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A similar proposal in 2005, and now, and in the future a couple of times, will not change, a proposal will remain. Copyright tax. So, legit buyers of music and non legit ones will pay flat tax based on the number of devices they have. But if I am a legit buyer, then the artist and recording companies (and let's not forget distribution companies) already have my money? What, do they want more? Or should I go pirating because I already paid my money on the tax on the player...