Japan Tells Trump to Stop Using Pokémon, Mario and Naruto in Political, Pro-War Memes

Japan has repeatedly urged the Trump administration to stop using beloved anime and video game characters in political and pro-war social media posts, warning that the practice is inappropriate and infringes on copyright.

According to reports from Japan, officials have contacted the US government multiple times since March over the use of Japanese intellectual property in official White House and government memes.

Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has argued that even public institutions should not reproduce copyrighted material without the permission of the rights holders. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi first raised the issue during a parliamentary session in April, pointing to a pro-war video that used footage from Nintendo's Wii Sports.

More recently, local Japanese media reported that the ministry again contacted the US Embassy in Japan at least twice in June, specifically objecting to the use of franchises including Pokémon, Mario and Naruto.

Officials reportedly urged the Trump administration to consider the damage such posts could cause when iconic Japanese characters are used to promote US political messaging or military operations.

Naruto Post Reignites Backlash

The latest dispute followed President Donald Trump's decision to share an AI-generated video of himself portrayed as Naruto on Truth Social. The post revived criticism that had already been building among Japanese fans and creators, many of whom argued that globally recognised characters were being repurposed for political messaging without permission.

The controversy also prompted campaign organiser Nana Suzuki to relaunch the 'Protect Japanese Manga' petition, describing it as an urgent effort to alert rights holders and push the Japanese government to take stronger action.

The petition had already drawn international attention earlier this year after calling for greater protection of Japanese intellectual property from political use overseas.

A Growing List of Copyright Disputes

The Naruto video was not the first time the Trump administration faced criticism over its use of entertainment franchises.

Last September, the Department of Homeland Security posted footage of an ICE raid accompanied by the Pokémon theme song and imagery associated with Ash Ketchum. Fans quickly called on The Pokémon Company to respond, and the company later said permission had never been requested.

In March, the White House's official X account shared another pro-war video combining military footage with clips from Wii Sports. It later released another montage featuring material inspired by or taken from franchises including Halo, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Dragon Ball, Top Gun, Iron Man and Braveheart.

Several creators and rights holders publicly objected. Among them were The Pokémon Company, the official Yu-Gi-Oh! account and Steve Downes, the longtime voice of Master Chief from the Halo series.

Japan Says Copyright Rules Apply to Governments Too

The renewed controversy eventually reached Japan's cabinet. Speaking during a 12 June press conference, Cabinet Minister Kimi Onoda stressed that obtaining permission from copyright holders remains the basic principle when using protected material.

She added that Japan had already conveyed that position to the United States through diplomatic channels on multiple occasions. Despite those discussions, the administration's meme strategy has continued.

Trump administration spokesperson Abigail Jackson previously defended the government's online approach, arguing that viral posts and memes were helping communicate the president's agenda more effectively.