Japan initiative aims to protect rights holders in generative AI era
November 10, 2026 at 07:00 JST
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From left: Takami Kondo, representative director of the Japan IP.AI Co-Creation Association, lyricist Yasushi Akimoto and editor-producer Motoi Chujo speak at an event following a news conference announcing the association’s establishment in Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward on Sept. 11. (Ryo Jozuka)
Japan is seeking to bring its anime, manga, music and other cultural properties into the age of generative artificial intelligence on terms set by rights holders.
At a launch event in Tokyo, the newly established Japan IP.AI Co-Creation Association announced a framework under which creators and other rights holders can specify in advance how their works may be used by AI, with revenue from authorized use flowing back to them.
The initiative has won support from major overseas AI-related companies and prominent Japanese rights holders.
The association says it ultimately hopes to establish a Japan-led global standard for the use of intellectual property in the AI era.
At a news conference in Tokyo on Sept. 11, the association outlined its mission: to build and promote a system enabling Japanese creative works and characters to be used legitimately with generative AI while ensuring that revenue generated from such use is returned to rights holders.
Under the proposed system, rights holders would set conditions in advance governing the use of their works, with AI-generated content permitted only within those limits.
Nine overseas AI-related companies, including Chinese technology giant Alibaba Group and Australian online design platform Canva, have endorsed the guidelines, the organization said.
Other endorsers are rights holders for such works as soccer manga “Captain Tsubasa” and the office of prominent Japanese lyricist and producer Yasushi Akimoto, it said.
The association was established against the backdrop of growing concern over the unauthorized use of Japanese anime, manga, music and other works by generative AI.
Kagamiai Holdings, a company engaged in AI- and intellectual property-related businesses, supported the association’s establishment.
A system developed by the company to manage AI’s use of creative works will form the technological basis of the initiative.
Under the framework, rights holders can specify whether their works may be used commercially or posted on social media. They can also define which video, music and other materials may be used and prohibit particular forms of expression.
Usage is recorded, and payments corresponding to that usage are distributed by AI companies to rights holders.
Speaking at the news conference, Takami Kondo, the association’s representative director, set out the group’s ambitions.
“With the advent of generative AI, the mechanisms surrounding IP are on the verge of profound change,” he said. “We want to create a new global standard, and to do so from Japan.”
Rights holders for “Captain Tsubasa” have already authorized the work to be used for AI training. Talks are also under way toward allowing works associated with AKB48, the Japanese female idol group produced by Akimoto, to be used with generative AI.
The association plans to encourage participation from a broad range of rights holders across anime, games, manga, music and fiction.
On the AI industry side, Chinese generative AI company MiniMax Group is set to adopt the association’s system from this autumn.
The Japanese subsidiary of TikTok parent ByteDance is also in discussions toward adopting the system.
The association says it plans to approach other companies that support its guidelines, as well as major U.S. technology companies including Google and OpenAI.
The guidelines endorsed by participating AI companies and rights holders have been named the “Global IP.AI Co-Creation Declaration.”
They set out six principles, including respect for creators and intellectual property, the promotion of appropriate licensing, and dialogue and co-creation among AI companies, rights holders, creators, research institutions and industry organizations.
The original article in Japanese is available here. Please note that a paid subscription is often required to read the full Japanese version.
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