Media reports in Japan indicate that the government is considering introducing a private copying levy on sales of portable digital music players and digital hard-disc recorders. It could be up to 100 Yen per device ($0.95), which could see annual payments of more than one billion Yen ($9.5 million). The move would mirror the existing levy on MiniDisc players, DAT players and DVD recorders in Japan, and it's been lobbied for by Japanese music industry bodies. However, a previous attempt to introduce this kind of levy in 2005 foundered after consumer groups protested.

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