Countering Piracy with "AI Translation"? Japan's Next Move Could Change the Future of Manga

"Countering Piracy with AI"—Is That Idea "Correct"?

"Piracy wins because the official releases are slow."

This is a "blunt conclusion" that has been repeatedly discussed in overseas communities regarding the issue of pirated manga and anime. According to the content reported by Polygon (as referenced by Nerdist), Japan's cultural administration is attempting to keep up with overseas reader demand by utilizing AI for "speeding up translations" and "detecting illegal sites."Nerdist

However, as soon as this news was released, social media was not filled with celebratory mood. Instead, opinions were sharply divided.
There is the expectation that "if the official releases are faster, piracy will decrease," and the backlash that "AI translation ruins the work, and eventually people will return to human-powered piracy." Both arguments have their points.

In this article, we will organize what the concept of making AI translation the pillar of "anti-piracy measures" aims to achieve and what it could potentially lead to, while also interpreting the reactions on social media (the community atmosphere).

Why Does Piracy Persist: The Biggest Enemy is "Waiting Time"

The core of the story introduced by Nerdist, referencing Polygon, is that "the speed of translation is not keeping up with demand." Comments from university researchers point out that translation speed is lagging behind reader demand, and the administration is said to support training translators using AI (courses on how to use AI and translation techniques).Nerdist

This logic is simple.

• It becomes a hot topic overseas

• Official translations are delayed by weeks to months (or even longer for some works)

• The "want to read now" group turns to piracy (scans + fan translations)

• Once a habit is formed, it's hard to break

In other words, the root of piracy is not just "price," but also the inability to "catch up at this very moment." Therefore, it is understandable that policies are leaning towards "speeding up translations."

Furthermore, the Nerdist article introduces figures estimating the losses on the publisher's side, stating that illegal distribution amounts to 8.5 trillion yen annually (approximately 55 billion dollars). While the accuracy of these figures is debatable, the scale is undeniably significant for the industry.Nerdist

"Speeding Up Translations" Alone Isn't Enough: Another AI, Automating Enforcement

Anti-piracy measures also progress by eliminating the supply side (illegal sites).

A past article by Polygon (explaining measures for 2025) mentions Japan's plan to target over 1,000 sites with a budget of approximately 300 million yen (about 2 million dollars) for AI detection, including image and text detection to track infringing content and speed up reporting and removal.Polygon

What is important here is that "AI to speed up translations" and "AI to find illegal sites" are complementary.
Relying on just one can easily lead to an incomplete approach.

• Even if official translations are fast, if illegal sites are left unchecked, "free and fast" remains

• Even if illegal sites are shut down, if official releases are slow, the "desire to read" will shift to other pirated sources

Therefore, it makes strategic sense for the administration to discuss "accelerating translations" and "automating detection and enforcement" simultaneously.Nerdist

However, before AI translation is a "solution," it is also a "spark."

This is where it gets complicated.

While speeding up translations seems like the right direction, translator organizations are sounding the alarm.

The Japan Association of Translators (JAT) has expressed strong concerns in a press release regarding the public-private initiative for "mass translation and overseas export of manga using AI." The key points are threefold.Press Release Distribution Share No.1 | PR TIMES

1. Quality Issues: Mass translation without adequately reflecting nuances, cultural backgrounds, and character traits can diminish the value of the work. Additionally, the speed target of "50,000 works in five years, one work in as little as two days" is cited as a symbol of hasty execution.Press Release Distribution Share No.1 | PR TIMES

2. Employment Issues: Dependence on AI could lead to job loss for translators and create pressure to dispose of human resources in the name of cost reduction.Press Release Distribution Share No.1 | PR TIMES

3. Risk of Backfire: If low-quality official translations circulate, trust in official versions could decline, potentially encouraging piracy in search of "better translations."Press Release Distribution Share No.1 | PR TIMES

This is not an emotional argument. The conditions to beat piracy are not just "fast," but also "properly good." That's why.

The Reality of the "10x Faster with AI" Concept: What Investment and Goals Indicate

The discussion on AI translation is already moving beyond the conceptual stage. Automaton introduces the trend of publishers and investment institutions investing in startups as a government and private sector initiative to significantly increase translation speed and aim for a scale of 50,000 works in five years.AUTOMATON

What becomes apparent here is that "anti-piracy measures" are not the only goal.
The real intention is "maximizing revenue in overseas markets." As global demand for manga grows, they want to increase official supply and guide users to legitimate payment channels. AI becomes a tool to expand the bottleneck (translation, editing, production flow).

However, as JAT points out, if translation quality deteriorates, it could become a "boomerang that damages Japan's soft power."Press Release Distribution Share No.1 | PR TIMES

Manga characters and stories are not just about content but also about the "feel of the words." If that is handled carelessly, efforts to strengthen exports could end up "damaging the brand."

Social Media (Community) Reactions: The Difference in Perspectives Between Supporters and Opponents

*Note: The social media reactions mentioned here are organized as a distribution of arguments based on the reactions from bulletin board communities, as Reddit was unable to retrieve the text due to rate limits.

1) "It Will End If the Official Releases Are Faster" Group: Seeing the Cause as "Waiting"

Supporters are consistent.
The biggest cause is "not being able to read when you want to," and if that improves, the reason to turn to piracy diminishes. This aligns with the observation introduced by Nerdist that "translation speed is not keeping up with demand."Nerdist

For this group, AI is not "an enemy replacing translators," but rather a booster to help the official releases keep up. The pressure for simultaneous global releases is strong. The buzz about a work spreads instantly and won't wait.

2) "AI Slop Backfire" Group: The Battle is About "Quality"

On the other hand, opponents question "who would pay for low-quality translations mass-produced by AI." Posts with the sentiment that "it's impossible to make people pay for AI slop (AI's mass-produced low-quality work)" can be seen on bulletin boards.4chan

This group's argument aligns with JAT's claim that low quality can erode trust in official versions and push people back to piracy.Press Release Distribution Share No.1 | PR TIMES

In other words, opponents view anti-piracy measures not as a "speed competition," but as a game of maintaining "trust in the official versions."

3) "What Will Happen to Translators' Jobs?" Group: Concerns About Ethics and Industry Structure

Apart from the pros and cons, there are strong voices expressing concerns about employment and labor.
JAT clearly expresses concerns that it could lead to job loss and the disposal of human resources.Press Release Distribution Share No.1 | PR TIMES

The discussion becomes complicated here because the conclusion changes depending on whether "everything is done by AI" or "AI + humans finish the work." If AI creates a draft and humans handle the direction and supervision, both speed and quality can improve. However, if cost pressures increase, it can easily lead to a draft being published as is. The design of operations on the ground becomes the biggest point of contention.

4) "Won't Enforcement AI Misfire?" Group: The Side Effects of Automating Detection

Automating the detection of illegal sites carries the risk of false positives, despite the efficiency it brings. Past articles have discussed the trend of strengthening detection, reporting, and enforcement through AI, but depending on its operation, there is concern that it could affect legitimate secondary creations, quotations, reviews, and more.Polygon##HTML