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Japan urges the U.S. to stop using anime and game characters in posts
Tokyo escalated the request through the U.S. embassy in June, pointing to unauthorized use of Pokémon and other Japanese IP in U.S. government and policy content.
Japan has repeatedly urged the United States to stop using copyrighted Japanese anime and game characters in official posts and clips, with the latest appeals lodged through the U.S. embassy in June, according to Decrypt. The Pokémon Company said it never granted permission for a U.S. Department of Homeland Security clip that combined Ash Ketchum with ICE footage. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi raised the issue in April, saying it is inappropriate for public institutions to reproduce copyrighted materials without rightsholders' consent, citing prior U.S. social media content that reused Nintendo's Wii Sports. Japanese officials also warned that using these franchises in policy and pro-war messaging could cause damage to the IP. In September 2025, Homeland Security posted a Pokémon mash-up set to the theme song, and subsequent U.S. posts have also incorporated other franchises referenced in diplomatic questioning. The broader push gained momentum as a Japanese fan launched a Change.org petition titled "Protect Japanese Manga" and reopened it after President Trump shared an AI-generated video of himself as Naruto on Truth Social in June, prompting renewed questions in Japan on June 12.
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