Japan Warns X Over Misuse of Grok AI Imagery

Tokyo said legal measures are on the table if the situation doesn’t improve.

A screen displays examples of AI prompt-created videos, made with Xai’s Grok app, in London on Jan. 12, 2026. Leon Neal/Getty Images

Japan has asked social media platform X to take steps to prevent the alteration and sexualisation of images using its artificial intelligence service Grok, the Japanese government said on Jan. 16.

Speaking at a press conference after a Cabinet meeting, Japanese Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence Strategy Kimi Onoda said the government plans to move quickly to address the issue.

“We plan to promptly examine all possible options, including legal measures,” if the situation doesn’t improve, she said.

Grok, the AI chatbot developed by Elon Musk’s xAI, allows X users to generate text and images, or to edit existing images, by tagging the Grok account in a post on X or by opening a chat window via a dedicated icon.

Japan’s request comes amid mounting international concern that Grok has been used to generate sexually explicit images, including images that appear to depict minors.

Several authorities around the world have either blocked the platform or launched investigations into its use of AI-generated content. Countries that have taken action include Malaysia, Indonesia, the UK, and Canada.

In response to the scrutiny, X said on Jan. 14 that it had introduced new limits on Grok’s image editing features.

The company said the tool would no longer be able to edit images of real people and that image creation and editing through the Grok account would now be restricted to paid subscribers only.

X described the paywall as an added safeguard that would provide an “extra layer of protection.”

(Left) X owner Elon Musk at the Vivatech technology startups and innovation fair at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, on June 16, 2023. (Right) The X logo, pictured on a screen in Paris on July 24, 2023. Alain Jocard/AFP via Getty Images

Additional measures include the removal of illegal or policy-violating content, the suspension of offending accounts, and cooperation with authorities and law enforcement agencies where necessary, according to the X safety department.

Japan’s AI legislation permits government intervention in the form of fact-finding, investigations, and the issuance of formal guidance when problems arise.

In its general provisions, the Japanese government notes that while AI, including generative AI, can improve daily life and support economic growth, Japan has lagged in development and adoption.

It states that many citizens feel uneasy about the risks associated with the technology. The law aims to promote innovation while addressing those concerns.

X’s Japan and Asia-Pacific regional chief, Ayumu Matsuyama, said in a Jan. 5 post on X that Grok had become the No. 1 free app in Japan.

According to estimates published by the Business of Apps website, Grok had about 30 million active users in the third quarter of 2025 across both X and its standalone app. The same source estimated total downloads at 22.5 million during the same period.

Japan accounted for roughly 3 percent of Grok app downloads by country in 2025, data showed.