Japan's trade ministry weighs changing its unfair competition law to protect voices and likenesses from unauthorised use

Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has begun considering an amendment to the Unfair Competition Prevention Act to stop the unauthorised use of people's voices and likenesses, as reported by The Asahi Shimbun. At an advisory council meeting on 13 October, the ministry set out two options and will use them as the basis for considering the amendment. One would add "likeness" and "voice" to the names, trade names and other "indications of goods or business" that the law already protects; protection under that heading requires the indication to be widely known. The other would create a new provision against unauthorised use of voices and likenesses, after people consulted by the ministry asked for voice actors to be protected regardless of how well known they are. According to the report, the experts at the meeting raised no clear objection to either option. The move follows the spread online of videos made with generative AI that have real people's voices say or sing things they never did. Japan has no law that directly and explicitly protects rights in a person's voice; METI said in 2025 that unauthorised use could already fall under the current act, but lawyers pointed out that its reach was limited. NHK also reported on 18 October that the ministry has begun this review.

What it means for business: no new obligations yet; companies in Japan that generate, sell or host AI voice or image content may want to follow the review, since either option could make unauthorised voice and likeness imitation actionable under unfair competition law.