Japan has some of the strictest portrait rights and privacy laws in the world, yet the internet moves faster than legislation. While Japan passed a law in late 2023 criminalizing the creation and provision of deepfake sexually explicit images, the enforcement remains a game of whack-a-mole. For idols like Kubo, the sheer volume of content uploaded daily makes total eradication nearly impossible.
The intersection of artificial intelligence and entertainment has created a rift in the reality of media consumption. While AI offers innovative tools for creativity, it has also given rise to a darker phenomenon: the proliferation of "deepfake" content.
Recently, search trends regarding Nogizaka46 member Shiori Kubo have surfaced alongside terms like "39-s deepfake" (a reference often tied to music synthesis or deep learning algorithms). This highlights a growing crisis in the J-pop industry where the likenesses of young idols are being co-opted without consent.
In this post, we explore the implications of this technology, the specific challenges faced by rising stars like Shiori Kubo, and the ethical responsibilities of media consumers.
To understand the impact of this issue, one must understand the subject. Shiori Kubo is a prominent member of Nogizaka46, one of Japan’s most successful idol groups. Known for her refined visual aesthetic and steady growth within the group, Kubo represents the "Nogizaka style"—elegant, reserved, and deeply connected to the group's narrative of purity and effort.
Idols in the Japanese entertainment industry are not merely singers or dancers; they are personalities who build careers on trust and interaction with their fanbase. Their image is their livelihood, meticulously managed and protected by agencies that operate under strict codes of conduct.