Piracy

Over the past few years, entertainment industries have voiced their concerns over the downloading of copyrighted material. Consumers have used the internet as a tool to take the work of various artists/entertainers without payment. As many have seen, this issue is difficult to handle. How can the government regulate this piracy when the technology is readily available to the average consumer?
According to an article on yahoo.com, Japan has come up with a solution. Under their current system, consumers in Japan pay a 3% tax on recording devices and other gadgets that can be used to duplicate copyrighted material. This tax is included in the price of the good; so many consumers are unaware that it even exists. This tax is then given back to recording industries as payment.
Do you think this is a fair system? Is the 3% tax really making up for the losses that piracy causes? What about consumers who pay fees to download music legally? Is it fair to charge them twice? Do you think the US should consider a similar set up?