Japanese Minister Criticizes Trump Campaign Over Naruto Imagery
The public criticism from a Japanese cabinet minister marks an escalation in the Japanese government's response to the Trump administration's repeated use of anime intellectual property without permission.
Reporting from 1 sources: Anime News Network.
Japan's Minister of State for Economic Security, Kimi Onoda, criticized U.S. President Donald Trump's use of Naruto imagery in a generative AI video posted on Truth Social on June 6. Onoda said the use risked damaging the work's reputation and urged caution, even if it does not constitute clear copyright infringement.
Japan's Minister of State for Economic Security, Kimi Onoda, said during a June 18 press conference that the Trump campaign's use of Naruto imagery in a generative AI video posted on June 6 could damage the franchise's reputation. The 60-second video shows Trump in clothing resembling Naruto Uzumaki's outfit, including a Hidden Leaf headband, with a Hokage Rock backdrop. Onoda said the government intends to take appropriate measures, including communicating with the United States, to ensure proper handling of Japan's copyrights.
The incident follows a series of Trump administration social media posts using anime imagery without permission. In September 2025, the Department of Homeland Security posted a video set to the Pokémon theme song. The Pokémon Company later stated it was not involved and had not given permission. The White House also posted videos using Dragon Ball Super, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and other anime content in March. The Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise issued a similar statement denying involvement. Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs filed a complaint with the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo over the use of anime imagery, with a ministry official calling it inappropriate for public institutions to reproduce copyrighted works without permission.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.