TOKYO, May 1 A group of Japanese coin trick magicians sued two TV networks, accusing them of revealing professional secrets.The lawsuit filed Tuesday in a Tokyo district court sought damages of about $16,000 from Nippon Television Network Corp. and TV Asahi Corp., the BBC reported.The issue reportedly relates to a broadcast last November by the networks, showing how the coin tricks, a popular entertainment item in Japan, are performed. The broadcast came after a magician and a pub operator were arrested for punching holes in coins, which is a violation in the country.Magician Shintaro Fujiyama was quoted by the BBC as saying it takes years to develop a coin trick and complained the networks had "deprived professional magicians of their assets." Asahi told the BBC it saw no problem with the footage. Nippon TV did not comment on the lawsuit.Copyright 2007 by UPI
