Nintendo is actively intervening in the Japanese government's AI policy discussions. According to Japanese media reports, Tetsu Asano, a member of the Japanese Diet and the Democratic Party for the People, recently revealed on social media that Nintendo has begun lobbying the government to resist the growing use of generative AI.

In his speech, Asano noted that while generative AI offers convenience, it poses a growing threat to creators' rights. He cited several high-profile domestic lawsuits, such as the Yomiuri Shimbun's 2025 lawsuit against Perplexity AI, seeking 2.17 billion yen in damages for unauthorized use of articles. Other Japanese newspapers, including the Nikkei and Asahi Shimbun, have also filed lawsuits over similar issues. Overseas, the New York Times has sued OpenAI, while Getty Images is embroiled in a legal dispute with Stability AI, demonstrating that these conflicts are escalating globally.

The Japanese government has begun considering measures to address these issues. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) recently released the "Guidelines for the Application of Generative AI in Content Creation," advising companies to verify whether AI-generated works are highly similar to copyrighted works. Some major companies have begun adopting more conservative strategies, such as DeNA, which chooses to train its AI systems solely with its own data.

Asano stated that Nintendo is among many companies that have chosen to avoid using generative AI to protect their intellectual property. Nintendo, long known as the "strongest legal ministry" for its strict approach to intellectual property protection, is reportedly lobbying the government directly on this issue. While the details of these lobbying efforts are unclear, they appear to reflect Nintendo's broader strategy to ensure strong legal protection for its creative assets.

Asano emphasized that the Democratic Party for People will continue to promote the "ethical use of generative AI" and does not rule out pushing for stricter regulation. He also stated that future policy discussions will incorporate greater input from the creator community.

Nintendo's move continues its consistent style of actively advocating for rights in everything from fan-made games to modding communities. Whether this policy direction can be promoted still depends on how the Japanese government strikes a balance between AI innovation and protecting rights holders and creators.