AI Voice Cloning Triggered New Japan Regulations and Fraud Warnings in Argentina

Japan’s Ministry of Justice approved a draft set of guidelines that will treat a person’s voice like their image or name, giving it commercial‑right protection. The move follows a campaign by veteran voice actress Megumi Ogata, who highlighted the illegal monetisation of AI‑generated voice clips that were earning up to ¥750,000 a month without consent. The draft, released on 27 July, is slated for final adoption in August 2026 and aims to curb losses for voice‑acting talent.

In Argentina, police reported that AI‑generated voice deepfakes are being used in high‑value scams. A case involved a Chinese entrepreneur who transferred US$4.3 million after a video call with a fabricated voice that mimicked his business partner. The crime can be pursued under article 173‑16 of the Penal Code, but investigators note the difficulty of gathering proof. Authorities stress that only a few seconds of publicly shared audio are needed to create convincing impersonations, making prevention reliant on public awareness.