When the AI Studio Ghibli filter that turns photos and videos into the beloved style of Hayao Miyazaki's anime was released, it sparked a heated debate on artists' copyrights.

Even though Studio Ghibli didn't directly react to the viral trend, a 2016 interview with the company's co-founder also widely circulated. In it, Miyazaki said that he was "utterly disgusted" by AI-generated content, calling it "an insult to life itself."

But that hasn't stopped Japan from pushing AI development.

Japan's Copyright Act, amended in 2019, is largely interpreted as allowing the use of copyrighted materials to train AI tools — without the consent of the copyright holder. The law, specifically more permissive than those in the EU or the US, aims to attract AI investors to the Asian country.

Japanese artists are already worried about the developments. According to a 2023 survey by Arts Workers Japan, which collected data from nearly 27,000 respondents working in creative fields, 94% of Japanese artists have qualms about AI infringement of their copyrights.

Opening up the discussion to the public, the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs specified last year that the country's permissive rule does not apply if the exploitation of copyrighted works "unreasonably prejudices the interests........

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