Việt Nam, Japan strengthen collaboration to tackle comic piracy
Vietnam and Japan are strengthening cooperation to combat the widespread piracy of Japanese manga, particularly through websites that illegally translate, reproduce and distribute copyrighted comics. Japanese authorities have identified Vietnam as a significant source of these piracy operations, affecting Japanese creators as well as legitimate Vietnamese publishers.
Doraemon is among the most heavily pirated Japanese cultural products in Vietnam. Kim Đồng Publishing House, which has officially licensed the series since 1998, reports that nearly 1,000 of its licensed titles have been illegally copied and sold during the past five years. Popular and newly released manga are particularly vulnerable.
Piracy increasingly takes digital forms. Physical books are scanned and converted into PDF or EPUB files before being distributed through private groups, forums and online archives. Copyrighted books are also being transformed into audio using text to speech technology and AI before being uploaded to social media.
The financial consequences are significant. Kim Đồng says declining demand for legitimate editions has forced it to reduce print runs by around 30 percent, hurting revenue and limiting its ability to invest in acquiring additional publishing rights. The publisher also warns that ineffective copyright enforcement can damage Vietnam’s reputation among international rights holders.
Japanese anti piracy organisation Authorized Books of Japan identified 961 active pirate comic websites, including 88 Vietnamese language sites. Among the ten largest English language piracy sites, which collectively attract hundreds of millions of monthly visits, at least three reportedly originate from Vietnam. Many piracy sites generate their profits through advertising rather than directly charging readers.
ABJ argues that criminal prosecution is the most effective deterrent because operators who are arrested generally do not restart their services. The organisation is therefore urging Vietnamese authorities to accelerate investigations and prosecutions while improving public awareness about copyright protection.
Vietnam and Japan have been cooperating on copyright enforcement for approximately three years. Japan’s Content Overseas Distribution Association strengthened this effort by establishing the CODA Vietnam Center in Ho Chi Minh City in April 2026, designed to accelerate infringement detection, takedowns and enforcement actions.
Vietnam is also considering stronger legal penalties for digital copyright violations. Current legislation allows copyright offenders to face imprisonment of up to three years, while organisations can face substantial fines and temporary suspension. Vietnamese officials indicated that further amendments could make penalties more effective against online piracy.
The cooperation ultimately aims to create a stronger copyright environment in Vietnam, protect Japanese creators and Vietnamese publishers, dismantle commercial piracy networks and ensure readers have better access to legitimate manga and other cultural products.
