Story perspectives

Tokyo court dismisses TikTok voice-mimic lawsuit as deleted

By Drooid · Sep 30, 2026, 11:10 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Kenjiro Tsuda sued TikTok to remove AI-generated videos that mimicked his voice.
He filed the individual lawsuit in Tokyo in November 2025, alleging publicity-rights infringement.
Tokyo District Court dismissed his claim on September 30, 2026 because the videos had already been deleted.
Judge Aya Takahashi ruled a human voice is a protected element of publicity rights, Japan’s first such judgment.

History

Historical Context

1988 the Ninth Circuit ruled in Bette Midler v. Ford Motor Co. that a singer’s distinctive voice is protectable under the right of publicity, establishing a precedent against commercial imitations. The principle guides Japanese actor Kenjiro Tsuda’s 2025 lawsuit against TikTok over AI-generated voice clones, which Judge Aya Takahashi dismissed in September 2026, highlighting Japan’s nascent digital likeness protections.

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Story summary

Kenjiro Tsuda sued TikTok to remove AI-generated videos that mimicked his voice.
He filed the individual lawsuit in Tokyo in November 2025, alleging publicity-rights infringement.
Tokyo District Court dismissed his claim on September 30, 2026 because the videos had already been deleted.
Judge Aya Takahashi ruled a human voice is a protected element of publicity rights, Japan’s first such judgment.

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