Magicians sue TV stations for divulging coin-trick secrets

A group of 49 professional magicians and magic aficionados filed a 1.9 million yen lawsuit Tuesday against Nippon Television Network Corp. and TV Asahi Corp. TV broadcasters for revealing coin-trick secrets.

In the suit filed with the Tokyo District Court they also demanded the two Tokyo-based broadcasters issue on-air apologies.

NTV and TV Asahi showed how a number of coin tricks were done during television reports on the arrest of the operator of a magic bar in Osaka. The group that filed the lawsuit says the reports infringe upon magicians' common property.

Shintaro Fujiyama, 52, a magician who heads the plaintiffs, told reporters the two broadcasters repeatedly revealed the secrets of how the coin tricks were done, even though they had nothing to do with the criminal case.

The operator of the magic bar was arrested in November for allegedly making holes in coins for magic tricks. Defacing a coin is against the law.

Fujiyama said the two broadcasters "instantly deprived pro magicians of their assets," which are built up through the accumulation of ideas and long-term practice.

TV Asahi said it did not think its reports were a problem. Nippon Television would not comment on the lawsuit.