Nintendo has denied reports that it contacted the Japanese government about generative AI, posting on X on October 5, 2025 that it has not had any contact with officials and that it will keep taking action against intellectual property infringement. The statement followed a now-deleted post from Japanese House of Representatives member Satoshi Asano, who claimed that Nintendo was “engaging in lobbying activities with the government” to resist generative AI. Asano later posted a formal apology, saying he had not adequately confirmed the facts.
Below is Nintendo’s X post.
Contrary to recent discussions on the internet, Nintendo has not had any contact with the Japanese government about generative AI. Whether generative AI is involved or not, we will continue to take necessary actions against infringement of our intellectual property rights.
— 任天堂株式会社（企業広報・IR） (@NintendoCoLtd) October 5, 2025
The denial follows a messy launch for OpenAI’s Sora 2 video model, which produced clips containing copyrighted material last week, including imagery from Nintendo and Pokémon. One AI clip even showed a generated Sam Altman saying, “I hope Nintendo doesn’t sue us,” while photo-realistic Pokémon appeared in the background. Backlash prompted OpenAI to change its approach to copyrighted content, as reported in a PC Gamer story.
Nintendo is famously protective of its IP, and the company has previously said it is cautious about generative AI because of copyright concerns. An IGN report noted Nintendo flagged IP protection as a reason to be careful, while president Shuntaro Furukawa has also said the company is “open to utilizing technological developments” in some cases. That mixed messaging isn’t surprising given industry trends, with over half of Japanese game companies reportedly using AI in development.
Reaction to Nintendo’s X post and Asano’s apology will mostly matter to creators and companies worried about AI-generated use of protected characters and assets. Please share your thoughts in the comments, and follow us on X and Bluesky.
