Japan has issued a formal warning to OpenAI, the maker of Sora 2, asking the company to stop generating videos that infringe on anime and gaming copyrights. The government said it may take legal action if OpenAI continues to use characters from Japanese franchises without permission.
The warning comes after Sora 2’s recent release led to a flood of social media clips showing characters like Mario, Pikachu, and other well-known icons appearing in AI-generated scenes. Japan’s Cabinet Office and Minister of State for IP and AI Strategy, Minoru Kiuchi, said such misuse threatens the nation’s cultural heritage. Kiuchi described anime and manga as “irreplaceable treasures” central to Japan’s global identity.
