TOKYO, June 3 (Xinhuanet) -- Japan's upper house approved a bill Thursday to ban import of Japanese music CDs made in other Asian countries.

    The law, which is set to take effect from Jan. 1, 2005, was designed to protect domestic music industry from impact of cheap CDs made offshore.

    The law rules that such activity shall be held responsible for infringement of copyright.

    Japanese music CDs produced in other Asian countries are sold at much cheaper prices than in Japan as license fees composers receive are set low, given price levels in these countries.

    The revised Copyright Law will also make it possible for copyright holders to charge copyright fees on books and magazines rented at rental-book shops as is the case with music CDs, given a recent sharp rise in the number of such shops.

    Penalties for copyright infringement are stiffened under the revised law, with higher maximum fines and prison terms. Enditem