Japan to Establish Legal Framework for AI Voice and Image Misuse

Japan’s Ministry of Justice announced on April 17, 2026, the formation of an expert panel to examine whether the unauthorized use of voice actors’ voices and performers’ images via generative AI constitutes a civil tort under Japanese law. The panel, chaired by Professor Tadayoshi Tamura of the University of Tokyo Graduate School, will analyze case-by-case scenarios involving AI-generated content that mimics real individuals’ voices or likenesses. According to the ministry, such unauthorized use may infringe on publicity rights or portrait rights, though judicial precedent remains unclear on whether a person’s voice qualifies as part of their “portrait” under current law. The panel will review existing rulings on unauthorized portrait use to determine how civil liability might apply in cases involving deepfake technology, including non-consensual deepfake pornography and AI-generated music or videos featuring celebrities’ voices without permission. Discussions will continue through July, with the goal of issuing guidelines to help industry groups, legal practitioners, and the public understand when such uses may lead to liability for damages. The initiative aims to prevent casual rights violations although offering a reference framework for assessing accountability in emerging AI-driven content practices. The announcement follows growing concerns over the misuse of generative AI tools to replicate voices and images for profit or harassment, particularly on social media platforms.