Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) commissioned the Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA) to conduct the FY2025 Project for Promoting Overseas Expansion of Content (Strengthening Measures against Intellectual Property Rights Infringement) and to carry out a survey on losses caused by Online piracy of Japan-origin content.
Losses stemming from online piracy in 2025 were estimated at 5.7 trillion yen for digital content alone, and to ¥10.4 trillion including the losses from counterfeit character goods sold online, which were surveyed for the first time this fiscal year.
The total amount of losses from online piracy of Japan-origin content provided online was estimated based on consumer surveys conducted in Japan, China, Vietnam, France, the United States, and Brazil in 2025. The losses from online piracy of digital content expanded approximately threefold, from 2.0 trillion yen in the 2022 survey to 5.7 trillion yen in 2025. It also launched a survey on losses from online piracy of counterfeit character goods this fiscal year, the results of which estimated losses of 4.7 trillion yen in 2025.
The losses derived from online piracy of digital content have increased despite the decrease in the number of pirated copies consumed per person. This is attributed to changes in exchange rates and prices, increases in the number of users of pirated content and the internet-connected population, and the accelerated global penetration of Japan-origin content.
METI will enhance its initiatives to curb the increase in the number of users of pirated content. To this end, it will take actions such as establishing new bases to enable collaboration with local authorities overseas, strengthening litigation frameworks, improving measures against rights infringements involving generative AI and counterfeit character goods, and developing a database of rights ownership to help accelerate litigation and other countermeasures.
Why it matters
As long as there is consumer demand for Japan-originated content, new pirated versions will emerge. Therefore, METI will launch support for the expansion of international distribution and delivery platforms that primarily handle Japan-origin content, with the aim of steering consumers of pirated content toward legitimate versions.
Further reading
Results of the Survey on Losses from Onlilne Piracy of Japan-origin Content compiled. Press release. January 26, 2026. Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)
