Japan's Justice Ministry backs civil liability for unauthorized AI voice use

The Justice Ministry's approval of this draft report addresses a concrete gap in Japanese law: despite widespread harms—including unauthorized "AI covers" where singers' and voice actors' voices are used without permission, and sexual deepfakes altering actors' images into obscene content—no court ruling had previously clarified the legal status of such uses. The committee's decision to extend the right of publicity (a legal principle already protecting celebrities' names and portraits) to include voices reflects a broadening understanding of what constitutes a person's commercial and personal identity in the age of generative AI.

The report's distinction between infringing AI mimicry and permissible performer impersonation is legally significant. By stating that AI-generated voices sharing voice quality and style similarities—even if not identical—may infringe the right of publicity, the draft establishes a practical standard for enforcement. This matters because voice actors and others had explicitly requested such clarification. The inclusion of AI-generated sexual imagery as a dual infringement of both publicity and portrait rights further signals that the ministry recognizes generative AI harms as spanning multiple legal categories.