Anonymous behind hacking Japanese govt websites over new anti-piracy bill

Tokyo, June 28 (ANI): Notorious Internet hacking group Anonymous has claimed responsibility for a series of cyber-attacks on Japanese government websites, according to a report.

The hacking group claimed it attacked the government websites reacting to the country's new anti-piracy bill.

The new law outlines jail terms for those who download copyrighted content.

Anonymous, via its Twitter account, said that the law would 'result in scores of unnecessary prison sentences to numerous innocent citizens,' the BBC reports.

According to the report, the new law says 'downloading of copyrighted works knowing that they are not free and that it is illegal' could result in a fine of up to two million yen ' or a prison sentence of up to two years, or both.

The websites of Japan's Finance Ministry, Supreme Court and political parties DPJ and LDP were temporarily take down.

Meanwhile, Ministry official Takanari Horino said a number of the Finance Ministry's web pages had been defaced on Tuesday and an unauthorised link posted on the site.

"We are aware of the Anonymous statement referring to the new copyright law, but we don't know at this point if the cyber-attacks are linked to the group," he added. (ANI)