Japan joins the global AI regulation ranks as Musk's Grok AI faces a review storm over pornographic images.

The Japanese government recently launched an investigation into Elon Musk's artificial intelligence service Grok, as it has been accused of easily generating and disseminating sexualized images without the consent of the individuals involved. Japan has thus joined the growing global regulatory camp, putting pressure on the social platform X and its AI functions. Minister of Economic Security and AI Strategy Kimi Onoda stated that the Cabinet Office has requested X platform to strengthen its protection mechanisms to curb Grok from generating sexualized altered images. The government has also submitted written inquiries to X, requesting an explanation of its specific measures to prevent the generation of deeply forged images that infringe on personal privacy, intellectual property rights, and portrait rights. This month, Grok faced criticism and government scrutiny in countries ranging from Malaysia to Italy, as users could easily manipulate photos into sexual or derogatory content. Subsequently, the service has imposed some restrictions on its image generation function and made it available only to paying customers. "If the situation does not improve, all options including legal measures will be considered," Onoda emphasized during a regular press conference on Friday. "If similar issues arise on other platforms, we will also take action." As the regulatory official in X's largest overseas market, this statement follows investigations by regulatory agencies in many countries worldwide. Canada, California, the European Union, and France are investigating whether Grok-generated images violate human rights, while Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines have restricted access within their borders. Earlier this week, the AI company responsible for developing Grok announced the disablement of the feature that generates lifelike images on its chatbot Siasun Robot & Automation. Onoda pointed out that "the ability of users to generate such images is a real problem," suggesting that Japan may require developers to take further measures. However, she also emphasized that the issue does not lie with AI itself, and the government needs to study diverse solutions: "Like a knife placed in front of you, whether it is used for cooking or for harm depends on the user." Japan is seeking to strike a balance between AI regulation and development: on one hand, there is an urgent need to establish safeguards, while on the other hand, efforts are being made to catch up with the United States and China in this area seen as a strategic national key. The Japanese AI Law, which came into full effect in September of this year, does not impose penalties but only authorizes the government to conduct investigations and issue administrative guidance in case of violations. Policy discussions are focused on user education, AI service image alteration identification, and other technical ethical solutions. The Cabinet Office is coordinating with the Ministry of Justice, the National Police Agency, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications to discuss potential measures, reflecting Japan's strategic balancing act between incentivizing AI innovation and risk management.