Japan finally bans the R4 DS piracy device

A case of closing the stable doors after the horse has bolted?

Kotaku reports via a translation from a Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry that the country has finally banned the notorious R4 device, famed for its DS piracy uses.

The R4 allows users to store and run a wide variety of software direct from the device, included any full DS games downloaded from the internet.

The sale of R4 was officially banned in Japan back in February 2009, but could be found at Japanese retailers as soon as a year later after loopholes meant that retailers could largely escape unpunished for selling the device.

This new order, however, completely bans its import into the country.

The R4 was banned in the UK in July 2010.