Man indicted for selling AI-generated obscene pillow covers in Japan
A 46-year-old man in Japan was referred for prosecution in June 2025 for selling pillow covers printed with AI-generated obscene images on internet auction sites. This is reported to be the first case applying the obscene materials distribution charge to AI-generated content in Japan.
What happened
A 46-year-old self-employed man from Niiza, Saitama was referred for prosecution on 4 June 2025 on suspicion of distributing obscene materials. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department reported that in September–October 2024, he sold two pillow covers printed with AI-generated obscene images of non-existent women to two buyers for approximately 8,000 yen total.
The man purchased the pillow covers online for about 1,000 yen each and resold them via internet auction. According to police, he resold eight covers between August and December 2024, obtaining several tens of thousands of yen. The man admitted to the allegations in voluntary questioning, stating he did it for living expenses.
Reported impact
This is the first case in Japan in which the obscene material distribution charge has been applied to items created using generative AI. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police have noted that image-generation AI can produce detailed obscene images using only keywords, and large quantities of such images are being listed on internet auction sites.
Index analysis
The police attached an opinion of 'appropriate disposition' when referring the case, leaving the decision on criminal punishment to the prosecutor's discretion.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.