The Japanese government aims to implement an AI system that automatically detects websites displaying manga without permission as early as fiscal 2026. The system, trained on image and text data from publishers, has been in trial operation since fiscal 2024 for domestically hosted pirate sites.
The government plans to train AI using image and text data from manga provided by publishers to identify pirate sites and unauthorized social media posts. This initiative, led by the Cultural Affairs Agency, seeks to bolster copyright protection in the manga industry.
Piracy inflicts heavy losses, with the ABJ estimating about ¥700 billion in damages from free access to pirated manga and other works in June alone. Publishers currently face the onerous duty of manually scanning websites and social media for infringing content and requesting takedowns from operators, but detection gaps and the sheer volume of material make comprehensive responses challenging.
The agency has allocated ¥100 million in the draft fiscal 2025 supplementary budget to enhance the system's accuracy. It intends to conduct demonstrations targeting 10 countries with prevalent pirate sites to broaden detection scope. Further studies will explore automating deletion requests and issuing warnings to operators on behalf of publishers. These steps aim to alleviate industry burdens and strengthen copyright enforcement.
Transitioning from trials on domestic sites to international application, the system represents a key advancement in sustaining Japan's manga culture.