Japan’s top anime and manga publishers issue joint statement on Gen AI
The Japan Cartoonists Association announced on October 31 that it, along with 17 major publishers and The Association of Japanese Animations, has issued a “Joint Statement on Creativity and Rights in the Age of Generative AI.”
The statement is a unified front from Japan’s core creative industries.
The co-signers include the Japan Cartoonists Association, an organization dedicated to the cultural development of manga, and The Association of Japanese Animations, which aims for the sustained development of the animation industry.
They are joined by 17 major publishers, including:
- Akita Shoten
- Ichijinsha
- Ohzora Publishing
- KADOKAWA
- Coamix
- Kodansha
- Shogakukan
- Shonengahosha
- Shinchosha
- Square Enix
- Takeshobo
- TO Books
- Nihon Bungeisha
- Hakusensha
- Futabasha
- Houbunsha
- Leed Publishing
The statement addresses the current situation where AI models, such as OpenAI’s “Sora2,” are generating and releasing works based on existing copyrighted material.
The group has reaffirmed its position to seek a balance between the “use and protection” of creative works and to take appropriate legal and ethical action against copyright infringement.
The statement was reportedly triggered by the announcement of “Sora2” and the fear of “a second and third Sora2” emerging, prompting the industry to clarify its official stance.
The Japan Cartoonists Association’s basic stance is that it welcomes the advancement of AI technology, hoping it can be used correctly, but reaffirmed the principle that copyright infringement will not be tolerated.
The association asserts that the following principles must be respected when AI learns from and generates new creations:
- AI operators must obtain necessary permission from rights holders, in line with copyright law, during both the training stage and the generation/publication stage.
- The transparency of training data must be guaranteed.
- If a rights holder grants permission for use, they must receive appropriate compensation.
The statement highlighted two major current concerns.
The first is that an “opt-out” system for rights holders inherently leads to infringement, as it violates the core copyright principle of “obtaining permission before use.”
The second is that a lack of transparency in training data makes it difficult to verify infringement, which could hinder action against malicious use that damages a work’s image or a creator’s reputation.
The associations emphasized that they will not reject new technologies like AI, but will prioritize a safe environment for both creators and users.
They stated they will act appropriately, legally, and ethically against any copyright infringement, regardless of whether AI was used.
The group concluded by vowing to work with all industry stakeholders to build a fair, transparent, and sustainable creative environment for the AI era.
Notably, on the same day, publishing giant Shueisha released its own powerful, independent statement titled “Regarding responses to copyright infringement using generative AI.”
Shueisha’s release took a harder line, stating that AI works infringing on copyrights “trample on the dignity of authors” and “should not be allowed to exist on the basis of infringing the rights of many.”
The company declared it would take “appropriate and strict measures” against infringement on its works and called for national-level responses, including legal reforms, to protect content.
This post may contain affiliate links, and Essential Japan may earn a commission if you purchase through them.
