Operator of the World’s Largest Manga Piracy Site BATO.TO Criminally Investigated in China

This case was initiated following requests from Japanese publishers—KADOKAWA CORPORATION, KODANSHA LTD., SHUEISHA Inc., SHOGAKUKAN Inc., and SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD.

On September 25, 2025, CODA’s Beijing Office filed a criminal complaint with the public security bureau of China on behalf of these publishers.

In addition, as part of its international collaboration efforts to strengthen the effectiveness of anti-piracy measures, CODA sought cooperation from China Literature Limited, a subsidiary of Tencent Holdings and one of China’s largest online literature platforms. China Literature confirmed that its comics had been unlawfully distributed on BATO.TO, and filed a criminal complaint in coordination with CODA.

The fact that these coordinated efforts between Japan and China led to criminal enforcement represents a significant achievement in advancing international intellectual property protection.