After dismantling one of the biggest unauthorised distribution channels in the world, the international battle against manga piracy has reached a tipping point. The manga industry in Japan has seen financial losses that could jeopardise the livelihoods of both creators and publishers.Following the arrest of the main administrator of Bato.to in November 2025, the Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA) has announced that Bato.to and all 60 associated sites have been shut down by Chinese authorities. Closing Japan’s largest unauthorised manga distribution site represents a major triumph in obtaining cross-border enforcement against manga piracy operations that have afflicted the sector for many years.The scale of the manga piracy problemFrom October 2002 through October 2025, the Bato.to network received about 7.2 billion visits from all regions of the world and served as a vehicle for unauthorised copying of manga in more than 50 languages through distribution across continents.In May 2025, all 60 of the interconnected sites received a total of 350 million visitors. The popularity of these sites has made them the biggest source of pirated Japanese content in the world. The operators used sophisticated methods to avoid law enforcement, including geoblocking so that their sites could not be accessed from mainland China, and distributing their traffic across a number of different mirror sites.Devastating economic impactLost hope in Nyan Koi! (Image Source: Studio AIC)CODA estimated about 770 billion yen (or 5.2 billion US dollars) in lost revenue due to Bato.to. This amount represents losses from illegally viewed pages across the entire catalogue hosted on the site.There’s a lot more going on with manga piracy than many realise. A report released by Authorized Books of Japan in October 2025 examined the global manga piracy landscape by analysing 913 sites worldwide. Over two months, these sites recorded 2.8 billion total visits from 123 countries. This highlights how manga piracy is a global issue affecting creators everywhere.The impact of online piracy of Japanese entertainment has now been valued at approximately ¥5.7 trillion (US$594 billion), nearly three times the figure reported in the last survey (¥2 trillion). This significant increase is attributed to the growing international popularity of manga and the rise in unauthorised distribution channels.Coordinated international enforcement on manga piracyThe probe that ultimately led to the shutdown of Bato.to serves as a strong example of how countries can work together. Five major Japan-based publishers—Kadokawa, Kodansha, Shueisha, Shogakukan, and Square Enix—teamed up with local government agencies in China to dismantle the illegal operation.On September 25, 2025, CODA’s office in Beijing submitted a report to public safety departments across mainland China to initiate criminal proceedings. The case gained further momentum when China Literature Limited, a subsidiary of Tencent, confirmed that its works were also being pirated through Bato.to, joining the legal action for damages.In November 2025, Shanghai police conducted a search of the suspect’s home in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and seized multiple personal computers and large amounts of digital equipment. During questioning, the operator confessed to running all 60 domains associated with the site and playing a key role in the global distribution network.While the suspect was released on bail prior to formal indictment, the websites were allowed to continue operating in a limited capacity as evidence. They were placed in a transition stage before being completely shut down.Ongoing investigation and broader implicationsCODA is still investigating whether other individuals were involved in Bato.to’s operations. Because those linked to the site are spread across the globe, CODA plans to work with additional international agencies to continue examining potential involvement.A survey showed that 30% of U.S. manga readers admit to using unauthorised apps or websites to access manga content. When asked about motivation, cost was cited as the primary reason.The continued normalisation of manga piracy among readers poses a major challenge for publishers. Many users who pirate manga are making financial decisions rather than intentionally disregarding copyright, creating new difficulties for enforcement efforts.A turning point in anti-piracy effortsAccording to Takero Goto, president of CODA, the closure of the largest illegal manga piracy website in world history through law enforcement is highly significant. He credited Chinese authorities, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and all individuals and organisations involved in the case.The successful shutdown of Bato.to shows that countries can unite against even the most sophisticated piracy operations. However, challenges remain in enforcing global copyright laws and addressing consumer behaviour around piracy.