First ever arrest in Japan for storing computer virus on PC

(Credit: AP / CBS)

Tokyo police have arrested a 38-year-old man suspected of storing a computer virus on his personal computer.

The arrest, which took place last week, falls under the country's new penal code which criminalizes the storage of malware for the purpose of infecting other computers. If convicted, the arrested man, 38-year-old Yasuhiro Kawaguchi, faces a maximum two years in jail or a fine of up to 300,000 yen.

This marks the first time that someone in Japan was charged under the new law, which took effect this month.

The police say that Kawaguchi uploaded a virus he created with a title suggesting that the file contained child pornography. They say that he admitted wanting to infect computers owned by users of file-sharing software. Although the virus did not damage the infected computers, it would cause glitches in the system, according to the police.

[karek40]

On the other hand he was targeting those that subscribe to child porno. Perhaps governments should do the same with a virus that reports every one who visits those sites to the public. Hmmm Imagine the results John Doe, your next door neighbor visits kiddie porn sites X times per week. It would probably violate their privacy.

[tsigili]

Maybe that will catch on, in other countries.

[thinkingonetoo]

There are enough problems in this world already, why do these jerks take pleasure in screwing the little guy?! Why not use your skills to actually produce something rather than destroy it?

[rwsmith29456]

They do real damage. Get them.