First Criminal Conviction in Japan for Copyright Infringement Involving AI
On January 28, at the fourth hearing held at the Osaka District Court, a man who had been arrested and indicted by the Osaka Prefectural Police Headquarters and the Toyonaka Police Station on suspicion of violating the Copyright Act for selling pirated DVDs of classic black-and-white films that he had unlawfully colorized and reproduced through flea market websites and other platforms was found guilty. The court sentenced the defendant to one year and six months of imprisonment, suspended for three years, and imposed an additional fine of 500,000 yen.
According to CODA’s investigation, this case represents the first arrest and criminal conviction in Japan for copyright infringement involving the use of AI in non-adult, general film works.
The defendant advertised the products by claiming that he was “selling restored DVDs of black-and-white films converted into color works using advanced AI-based video technologies,” and sold pirated DVDs that had been unlawfully colorized and duplicated, including the black-and-white film Godzilla, for which TOHO CO., LTD. holds the copyright.
This case was initiated following requests from four CODA member companies. CODA compiled the details of the damages and, through the National Police Agency, formally requested the Osaka Prefectural Police to pursue the matter as a criminal case. Thanks to the prompt investigation by the Osaka Prefectural Police Headquarters and the Toyonaka Police Station, the offender was successfully identified and prosecuted.
At the first hearing held on September 12, 2025, the defendant fully admitted to the charges, stating that although he knew his actions constituted copyright infringement, he continued selling the DVDs for financial gain.
As demonstrated by this case, acts such as colorizing an entire work using AI and otherwise transforming the content or form of expression without obtaining permission from the rights holder clearly constitute copyright infringement.
CODA will continue to make every effort to ensure the proper protection of copyright and to implement effective measures against similar infringing activities going forward.
Note that this activity was part of a project commissioned by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
■ Related: Arrest Made for Selling Pirated DVDs of Classic Black-and-White Films That Had Been Colorized
https://coda-cj.jp/en/news/740/
About CODA
CODA (Content Overseas Distribution Association) was established in 2002 at the call of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Agency for Cultural Affairs to promote the overseas development of Japanese content and take anti-piracy measures. Japan’s proud content, including music, movies, anime, broadcast programs, video games, and publishing, plays an important role in enhancing the nation’s international presence and economic growth. As digital technology becomes more widespread, it is even more significant to protect Japan’s content from increasingly artful copyright infringement and promote the content industry’s development. CODA contributes to the deterrence and detection of online and other piracy, by sharing knowledge with relevant government agencies, organizations, and companies in Japan and abroad, to engage in direct and indirect anti-piracy measures, as well as public relations activities. Visit https://coda-cj.jp/en/activity/ for more information on CODA’s projects.