Tokyo: In a groundbreaking legal move, Japan’s leading newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun has filed a lawsuit against the US-based artificial intelligence company Perplexity AI, accusing the tech firm of unauthorized use of more than 120,000 of its articles. The case, lodged at the Tokyo District Court on August 7, 2025, is one of the most high-profile legal challenges to date involving AI and copyright in Japan.
According to the lawsuit, Perplexity allegedly accessed and used 119,467 articles and images from Yomiuri’s digital platform between February and June 2024 without obtaining permission or entering into a licensing agreement. The content in question was reportedly scraped from the newspaper’s paid digital subscription service and used to train or generate responses through Perplexity’s AI-driven search engine.
Yomiuri Shimbun is seeking 2.2 billion yen (approximately 14.7 million US dollars) in damages, asserting that the unauthorized use of its content has caused significant financial harm. The newspaper claims that the AI platform’s responses have allowed users to access its journalistic work without visiting the official site, resulting in lost web traffic and ad revenue. The phenomenon, often referred to as “zero-click searches,” has become a major concern for publishers as AI tools increasingly provide instant summaries that reduce the need for users to engage with original content sources.
The lawsuit cites clear violations of Japan’s Copyright Law, particularly in relation to the reproduction and public transmission of content. Yomiuri argues that Perplexity’s actions not only breach intellectual property rights but also undermine the financial sustainability of quality journalism. The company warned that such practices pose a broader threat to the free press and democratic accountability.
The legal dispute is part of a global trend, as news organizations push back against AI models that use proprietary content to train algorithms or answer user queries. Perplexity AI has already faced criticism and legal pressure from other media entities, including News Corp and Forbes, for similar reasons. In those instances, the AI company responded with a mix of defiance and openness to potential licensing models, suggesting a willingness to engage with media partners in revenue-sharing agreements. However, no such agreement was in place with Yomiuri.
This case could set a significant precedent in Japan, shaping how AI companies interact with protected journalistic content moving forward. Legal analysts suggest that if the court sides with Yomiuri, it may encourage other Japanese and international publishers to file similar lawsuits or demand licensing arrangements with AI firms.
The lawsuit against Perplexity AI raises broader questions about the ethics and regulation of artificial intelligence in the digital age. It highlights the ongoing tension between innovation and intellectual property rights, particularly as AI tools become more central to how people search for and consume information.
The Tokyo District Court has not yet announced when proceedings will begin. Both Yomiuri Shimbun and Perplexity AI have not issued further public statements since the case was filed.