AI tool that copied actor’s ‘lustrous’ voice violated his rights, says Tokyo court

The Guardian Tech Wednesday 30 September 2026, 11:09 UTC By Justin McCurry in Tokyo 1 min read

Key Points

Kenjiro Tsuda wins case against TikTok account in landmark verdict to protect publicity rightsA court in Japan has ruled that the human voice has legal protection after a landmark case involving a well known actor and a TikTok account whose AI-generated videos, he claimed, had cloned his “lustrous” baritone voice. Tokyo district court said on Wednesday that voices enjoy the same protection as publicity rights, at the end of a closely watched legal action brought against TikTok by Kenjiro...

Kenjiro Tsuda wins case against TikTok account in landmark verdict to protect publicity rights

A court in Japan has ruled that the human voice has legal protection after a landmark case involving a well known actor and a TikTok account whose AI-generated videos, he claimed, had cloned his “lustrous” baritone voice.

Tokyo district court said on Wednesday that voices enjoy the same protection as publicity rights, at the end of a closely watched legal action brought against TikTok by Kenjiro Tsuda – best known for voicing the character Kento Nanami in the anime Jujutsu Kaisen.

Tokyo (LOCATION) Kenjiro Tsuda (PERSON) TikTok (ORG) Japan (LOCATION) AI (ORG) Kento Nanami (PERSON) Jujutsu Kaisen (PERSON)

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