Human voices protected in AI clone ruling

By the Editorial Team · Friday, October 2, 2026

A Tokyo District Court ruled that the human voice is legally protected in Japan after voice actor Kenjiro Tsuda won a lawsuit over unauthorized AI-generated copies of his distinctive voice used on TikTok. This landmark decision sets a precedent for recognizing voice rights amid the rise of AI voice cloning, highlighting increasing legal and ethical challenges in regulating digital reproductions of personal attributes.

A Tokyo District Court has issued a landmark ruling recognizing the legal protection of the human voice in Japan, following a lawsuit filed by popular voice actor Kenjiro Tsuda. The case addresses the unauthorised use of an artificial intelligence-generated reproduction of Tsuda’s distinctive voice on the social media platform TikTok.

Tsuda, known for his deep and resonant tone, notably voicing Kento Nanami in the anime series *Jujutsu Kaisen*, filed the suit against the anonymous operator of a TikTok account named “Nanami.” The account had posted over 180 videos narrating urban legends and paranormal stories using a voice that closely resembled Tsuda’s signature baritone. By November 2025, the account had amassed more than 200,000 followers, with many viewers remarking on the similarity between the narrator’s voice and Tsuda’s.

The actor argued that the misuse of his voice was unauthorized and commercially exploitative, seeking removal of the content. Presiding judge Aya Takahashi acknowledged the voice as an individual’s personal attribute, comparable to one’s likeness, and found that the deliberate use of Tsuda’s voice clone for commercial gain constituted a violation of publicity rights. However, the court dismissed Tsuda’s request to delete all related videos, as the TikTok account had already been taken down.

The defendant contended the voice was AI-generated and not Tsuda’s actual voice, further asserting that the videos did not harm his professional reputation.

This ruling marks the first formal recognition of voice rights in Japan amid rising concerns over the proliferation of AI voice cloning technology, particularly within the entertainment industry. The debate over AI-generated voices has drawn global attention. In 2024, OpenAI ceased use of a voice that closely resembled that of actress Scarlett Johansson after she raised objections. Similarly, in 2025, actors Michael Caine and Matthew McConaughey struck agreements with voice-cloning firm ElevenLabs to authorize the replication of their voices through AI.

The Tokyo court’s decision reflects growing legal scrutiny surrounding the ethical and commercial implications of AI technology replicating distinctive human traits in the digital sphere.

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