An operative paragraph of concern to Americans according to Cheng reads: "Finally, the proposals meant to target copyright infringement through P2P are the most invasive of the three. Currently, Japanese copyright law bars anyone from uploading copyrighted material to public websites, but the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (Monbukagakusho) has agreed to take a look at the law to see if it can't be taken a step further. Proponents of a tougher law have suggested that all copyrighted media make use of a unique watermark, and that any media that doesn't bear this mark would be considered "illegal."
Given the American myth that copyright is such a boon to innovation and the success of IP owners in spreading the faith and mirror images of our law, we face growing encroachment on freedom and on technological progress. Reversing the restrictions becomes more difficult as more and more countries sign on. Our trade diplomats should be resisting this trend, not aiding and abetting it.
