🇯🇵 Voice actor sues TikTok

Japanese anime voice actor Kenjiro Tsuda has taken TikTok to court in Tokyo over videos he says used an AI clone of his voice, with a ruling due on Sept 30. According to court records, Tsuda is seeking the removal of videos from an anonymous account that used a voice he says could only be his, while TikTok argues it was a generic male voice.

The case is believed to be Japan’s first lawsuit aimed at protecting an individual’s vocal identity against AI-generated imitation. It comes amid wider concern in Japan’s anime industry, where voice actors hold commercial and fan value, and where unions and performers are pushing back against unlicensed generative AI use under a parallel No More campaign.

The disputed account used imagery resembling a character voiced by Tsuda and posted narrated content on urban legends, occult themes and conspiracy theories. Court filings said the account once had more than 200,000 subscribers and may have generated over 500,000 yen in monthly revenue.

#Japan

@asianomics