As part of the FY2025 Project for Promoting Overseas Expansion of Content (Strengthening Measures against Intellectual Property Rights Infringement), commissioned by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), CODA conducted a survey on losses caused by online piracy of Japan-origin content. This survey was subcontracted to PwC Consulting LLC, and CODA has compiled the results.
According to the findings, losses from online piracy of Japanese digital content in the 2025 survey amounted to 5.7 trillion yen. In addition, losses caused by counterfeit character goods, which were surveyed for the first time in this fiscal year, were estimated at 4.7 trillion yen, bringing the total estimated losses to approximately 10.4 trillion yen.
1．Losses from online piracy
METI estimated the total amount of losses from online piracy of Japan-origin content provided online, based on consumer surveys conducted in Japan, China, Vietnam, France, the United States, and Brazil in 2025. The losses from online piracy of digital content expanded approximately threefold, from 2.0 trillion yen(1) in the 2022 survey to 5.7 trillion yen(2) in 2025. It also launched a survey on losses from online piracy of counterfeit character goods this fiscal year, the results of which estimated losses of 4.7 trillion yen in 2025.
＊Note: This is a comparison of losses for 2022 and 2025, both estimated based on coefficients derived from consumer survey results.
1. Found using a survey-based estimation method from among those used in the 2022 survey.
2. Found using the user-based estimation method applied in the 2025 survey (the same method as in the 2022 survey）
2．Cause analysis
The losses derived from online piracy of digital content have increased despite the decrease in the number of pirated copies consumed per person. This is attributed to changes in exchange rates and prices, increases in the number of users of pirated content and the internet-connected population, and the accelerated global penetration of Japan-origin content.
As the Japanese government has set a goal of expanding the overseas market size of Japanese content to 20 trillion yen by 2033, the importance of further strengthening measures against the expanding losses caused by online piracy has been increasing.
CODA will continue to work in cooperation with relevant organizations and rights holders to promote effective countermeasures against pirated content overseas and to support the distribution of legitimate Japanese content.
■ Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry News Release
https://www.meti.go.jp/english/press/2026/0126_001.html
■ Related: Estimated amount of damage from pirated Japanese content distributed online in 2019
https://coda-cj.jp/en/news/188/
■ Related: Estimated amount of damage from pirated Japanese content distributed online in 2022
https://coda-cj.jp/en/news/299/
■ Inquiries
e-mail: research@coda-cj.jp
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.