Japan Panel OKs Protection of Right of Voice

Tokyo, Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)--A report from an expert panel under Japan's Justice Ministry stipulates that the right of voice should be protected in the same way as that for portraits.

The panel has discussed issues related to civil liability over the unauthorized use of voices and portraits of famous individuals through generative artificial intelligence.

The ministry said it wants legal professionals, rights holders and businesses to use the report, released Friday, widely as guidelines.

As the country has seen no court rulings regarding the right to voice, there has not been sufficient understanding about what acts constitute law violations.

The report said that voice is also a symbol of the personalities of individuals and therefore subject to protection under the right of publicity, which allows celebrities to control the commercial value of their names and images.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]