Generative AI Obscenity Case Leads to Four Arrests in Japan

In a landmark case, Japanese authorities have arrested four individuals for allegedly selling obscene images generated by AI—a first-of-its-kind crackdown, according to local media reports on 15 April.

The suspects, aged between their 20s and 50s, are accused of creating and distributing posters featuring indecent images of women through online auction platforms, NHK and other outlets reported, citing police sources.

The images, produced using free generative AI software, depicted fictional nude adult women and were created using explicit prompts such as "legs open."

The posters were reportedly sold for several thousand yen each, equivalent to multiple units of roughly US$7.

Japan’s First-of-Its-Kind Crackdown

Tuesday’s reports mark the first arrests in Japan linked to the sale of AI-generated obscene images, signalling a growing concern over the misuse of generative technologies.

Globally, alarm is rising over the malicious applications of AI—particularly deepfakes, which manipulate real images, videos, or audio to create deceptive content.

A 2019 study by Dutch AI firm Sensity revealed that approximately 96% of deepfake videos circulating online were non-consensual pornography, with the vast majority depicting women.