Tokyo Court Rules AI Voice Cloning Violates Publicity Rights in Landmark Case
8 Sources
[1]
Japanese court rules human voices are protected in landmark AI case - Engadget
A Tokyo court has sided with a Japanese voice actor who claimed a TikTok account had used AI to clone his "lustrous" baritone delivery, ruling that the human voice is protected by law in a landmark case. Kenjiro Tsuda is a prominent anime voice actor who has starred in huge number of movies,
[2]
AI voice clone ruling: Tokyo court sides with Jujutsu Kaisen actor
Publicity rights cover a voice used purely for its commercial appeal, the judge said. The AI voice clone case is believed to be Japan's first of its kind. A Tokyo court ruled on Wednesday that Japanese law protects the human voice. Anime voice actor Kenjiro Tsuda had sued TikTok over videos he
[3]
AI tool that copied actor's 'lustrous' voice violated his rights, says Tokyo court
Kenjiro Tsuda wins case against TikTok account in landmark verdict to protect publicity rights A court in Japan has ruled that the human voice has legal protection after a landmark case involving a well known actor and a TikTok account whose AI-generated videos, he claimed, had cloned his
[4]
Japan court rules human voice is protected in TikTok AI case
Tokyo (AFP) - A Tokyo court ruled Wednesday that the human voice is legally protected in Japan, after a high-profile anime voice actor took TikTok to court over videos he says feature an artificial intelligence clone of his "lustrous" baritone. The decision marks a partial victory for Kenjiro
[5]
Japan court ruling: Japan court rules human voice is protected in TikTok AI case
A Tokyo court ruled that human voices have legal protection in Japan after a notable lawsuit by Kenjiro Tsuda. The ruling concerns unauthorized use of voices and their imitation by artificial intelligence. Although Tsuda's request for video removal was denied, the decision signifies a victory for
[6]
While calling voice a protected right, court dismisses voice actor's AI case
The Tokyo District Court on Wednesday dismissed a demand from a high-profile anime voice actor that TikTok remove videos he says feature an artificial intelligence clone of his voice but recognized voice as a protected right. While Presiding Judge Aya Takahashi ruled that voice is also subject to
[7]
Japan court sets first voice-cloning precedent: performers' voices can be protected
It followed 180 unauthorized AI TikTok videos using Kenjiro Tsuda The Tokyo District Court has issued something Japan hasn't really seen before: a voice-cloning ruling that could shape later cases. The court found that a performer's voice can be protected under publicity rights when someone uses
[8]
Tokyo court grants legal protection to human voices in AI clone case
A Tokyo court has awarded legal protection to the human voice in a landmark case in which a popular Japanese anime voice actor demanded that TikTok close an account over its unauthorized use of an artificial intelligence clone of his trademark baritone. The Tokyo District Court's decision
Share
Copy Link
A Tokyo court ruled that human voices are protected under publicity rights after anime voice actor Kenjiro Tsuda sued TikTok over AI-generated videos that cloned his distinctive baritone. The landmark AI case marks Japan's first legal defense of vocal identity against unauthorized AI replication.
Tokyo Court Sides with Actor in Landmark AI Voice Cloning Case
A Tokyo district court delivered a groundbreaking verdict on Wednesday, ruling that human voices are protected under publicity rights in Japan's first legal case defending vocal identity against AI voice cloning
1
. Kenjiro Tsuda, a prominent anime voice actor known for roles in Jujutsu Kaisen and Yu-Gi-Oh!, successfully argued that an anonymous TikTok account had used unauthorized AI replication to clone his "lustrous" baritone voice3
. Presiding Judge Aya Takahashi declared that "the unauthorised use of a performer's voice can be considered an infringement on publicity rights," establishing that voices deserve the same legal protection as portraits when used for commercial appeal2
.The Case Against TikTok and AI-Generated Content
Source: Engadget
The lawsuit centered on 188 TikTok videos posted between July 2024 and September 2025 that featured AI-generated narration about urban legends, the occult, and conspiracy theories
2
. The anonymous account, which used a profile picture resembling a Jujutsu Kaisen character voiced by Tsuda, attracted more than 200,000 followers at its peak and would have generated between ¥500,000 ($3,200) and ¥750,000 in monthly revenue3
. Tsuda's legal team argued the account gained traction solely because "its dubious, sordid content was narrated by the attractive voice of a popular actor"4
. TikTok countered that the videos used a "generic male voice" and any similarity to Tsuda's voice was subjective2
. However, the court sided with the actor, though it dismissed his request to remove the videos since the user had already deleted them1
.What This Japanese Court Ruling Means for Voice Actors
The verdict represents a partial victory for performers fighting against unauthorized AI replication of their vocal identity. Judge Takahashi's ruling establishes that publicity rights protect voices when "the purpose of using that voice is exclusively to take advantage of its commercial appeal," describing a voice as "symbolic of one's personality"
4
. Yuko Sasaki, executive director of the Japan Actors Union, emphasized that an actor's voice "is the result of years of rigorous training and apprenticeship" requiring significant time and money to perfect4
. The decision could set a precedent for future cases as AI voice cloning technology becomes increasingly accessible—Google's latest Gemini text-to-speech models can clone a voice from just 30 seconds of audio, while ElevenLabs recently doubled its valuation to $22 billion2
.Related Stories
Growing Concerns in Japan's Animation Industry
Source: VnExpress
The landmark AI case highlights mounting anxiety among voice actors in Japan's storied anime industry, where performers often achieve celebrity status rivaling their characters. In 2024, Japanese voice actors launched the No More campaign to oppose using generative AI to copy them without permission
2
. Actor Bin Shimada warned that "unbridled" AI voice cloning spreading on social media could crush the industry entirely4
. This concern exists despite Japan's pro-AI national strategy—last year, the government asked OpenAI to ensure anime and manga content deemed "irreplaceable treasures" weren't being used to train its Sora 2 generator in ways that violate copyright1
. TikTok responded to the ruling by stating it would "respect the court's judgement" while working on "the balance between technology development and rights protection"4
. Watch for similar legal challenges worldwide as performers seek protection against AI-generated content that threatens their livelihoods and the creative industries they've built through decades of dedication.References
Summarized by
Navi
Related Stories
Kenjiro Tsuda Sues TikTok Over AI Voice Cloning in Japan's First Celebrity Deepfake Case
26 May 2026•Policy and Regulation
Japan Actors Union Fights Back Against AI Stealing Voice Actors' Work With Groundbreaking Guidelines
Today•Policy and Regulation
Mexican Voice Actors Protest AI Voice Cloning, Demand Regulatory Protection
14 Jul 2025•Entertainment and Society
Recent Highlights
1
OpenAI AI Models Hacked Crypto Wallet, Breached Government Sites in Unauthorized Activities
Technology
2
IMF Report Warns AI Market Correction Could Spark Global Financial Crisis With $1.4T at Risk
Business and Economy
3
Amazon Bee Unveils Two Personal AI Devices Starting at $75 with Real-Time Conversation Tracking
Technology
Recent Highlights
Today's Top Stories
Don’t drown in AI news. We cut through the noise - filtering, ranking and summarizing the most important AI news, breakthroughs and research daily. Follow topics that matter to you and stay ahead.
