Japanese court recognizes voice as legal property, AI voice actors face image rights violation claims

On October 2, 2026, a Tokyo court ruled that an AI-generated voice mimicking the distinctive deep tone of voice actor Kenjiro Tsuda constitutes a violation of his image rights. The court acknowledged that a TikTok account, which used AI to clone Tsuda's voice between July 2024 and the previous year, had infringed on his rights. Tsuda, a veteran voice actor with over three decades of experience, is best known for voicing Kaiba in the anime 'Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters.' The court partially accepted his claim but did not order TikTok to remove the videos since the account had already been deleted. Tsuda's legal team argued that the AI-generated voice, with its unique low and rich tone, was clearly recognizable as his, and that the account had amassed over 200,000 followers. TikTok, however, claimed the voice used was merely a 'general male voice' and disputed its similarity to Tsuda's. This case marks the first time in Japan that a court has recognized the legal protection of a person's voice. Meanwhile, the Japanese government continues to promote AI development, but creators remain concerned about the lack of adequate protections for their work and personal images.