[News] J-pop legend Komuro released on bail in copyright fraud

[Rocky Raven]

TOKYO (AFP) — Japan's once-iconic pop music producer Tetsuya Komuro was released on bail Friday after he was indicted on charges of swindling an investor over copyrights for music that had already been sold.

"I have caused trouble and disturbed you all," the 49-year-old said, bowing deeply before a horde of photographers and reporters as he stepped out of the Osaka Dentention Centre where he had been kept since his arrest on November 4.

He paid the bail of 30 million yen (315,000 dollars) following the indictment by the Osaka district public prosecutor's office.

"I wish to do my best, if possible, in music again. I ask for your understanding," he said.

Komuro allegedly told the investor in mid-2006 that he would sell for one billion yen the copyrights of 806 tunes he had composed and written words for, Jiji Press and other media said.

But the rights had been already sold to music publishers, the reports said.

The 48-year-old investor paid Komuro 500 million yen as part of the fake contract.

The pop composer and producer needed the money to repay huge debt he owed after a number of failed ventures, some of them abroad, the reports said.

Komuro has sold millions of records with J-pop sensations such as TRF, globe and Namie Amuro, with his annual earnings topping two billion yen (20 million dollars) before his popularity started to wane in 2000.

During the mid-1990s he was regarded as one of the richest men in Japan on sales of the more than 170 million CDs he produced, and owned Ferraris, luxury cruisers and villas in Hawaii, Bali and Malibu.

"Allow me to offer my profound apologies to the victim," he said in a statement released through his lawyer late Friday.

"I will join my family in trying to repay as soon as possible for what I have done," he said. "I will be ultimately happy if all you fans are kind enough to wait for me."

=] Wish him the best in his future/comeback

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsmdN...m/namie/?p=947
He looked much cooler yet younger back then in 2001

[Beauty4123]

aww, that kinda make me happy inside, lol. he looks alot older than 49 though

i'm glad he's released and i hope that now all his produced songs by namie and ami can be played again, since they were banned, i think.

[ImpactBreaker]

Wait...so the thief steals 500 mil, pays 30 mil, and he's out??????

I'm definitely entering for the world of crime in Japan j/k

[greggerz189]

What a disgrace. It's so unfortunate to see that. Best of luck to Komuro-san, regardless.

[visionfactory]

He better be regretful ¬¬ It's not funny to sell other's music

[xtinavrilayu]

If he did such thing, he's over

[apple-pi]

Wait, what happened to the person who bought the fake rights from him? Did he get his money back?

EDIT: Oh wait, I just read the article more carefully ^^;; I hope he is repaid soon.

And I suppose I'm glad Komuro got out of jail. Though I don't sympathize with him much.

EDIT 2: waaait.

"I will join my family in trying to repay as soon as possible for what I have done,"

does that mean repaying the money he "stole", or atoning for his wrong doings by trying to be a better person (or whatever)?

[prussian blue]

that sounds good

does this mean it is illegal to sell/play his songs in public?

[tanachu]

Oh, thank goodness.

[emi♡]

Um good for him I guess. I dont really listen to too many artists he composes for so...yeah...