US Uses Pokemon, Naruto In Memes 'Without Consent', Gets A Warning From Japan

Japan has asked the US government to rethink its use of popular Japanese games and anime in official social media posts, including memes featuring Nintendo and Pokemon characters.The concern was raised by Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has reportedly contacted the US Embassy in Tokyo multiple times over the issue. The ministry first raised the matter in April, followed by another discussion in June and a third in August, according to a report by Dexerto.The Japanese government is reportedly asking the Trump administration to stop using Japanese intellectual property without permission. It also wants US officials to consider how these posts could affect the public image of the franchises and their rights holders.This comes after several US government accounts used well-known Japanese characters and footage in their online content. These include Pokemon, Mario, Naruto and Yu-Gi-Oh.One of the more widely noticed examples came from the US Department of Homeland Security, which shared a Pokemon-themed video linked to immigration enforcement. Another post used a Pokopia-inspired graphic with the slogan "Make America Great Again". The White House also used Mario footage in a post linked to NASA's Artemis II mission.???????? pic.twitter.com/p4RmUgRgww - The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 1, 2026Similar posts involving anime have also surfaced on social media. An AI-generated video showing Donald Trump as Naruto also drew attention. Footage from the Yu-Gi-Oh anime appeared in a White House video promoting US military action.JUSTICE THE AMERICAN WAY. ???????????? pic.twitter.com/0502N6a3rL - The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 6, 2026Rights holders have already made it clear that they were not behind some of these posts. After the Pokemon video, The Pokemon Company said it was not involved in creating or distributing the content and had not given permission for its intellectual property to be used.The official Japanese Yu-Gi-Oh anime account also said that the creators and anime staff were not involved and that permission had not been granted.Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "Even public institutions require permission from the creator when using intellectual property."Mainichi Shimbun also reported that the ministry "conveyed the need to consider the possibility of copyright infringement and damage to the image of the works."Japan has not made a legal finding that the US government has infringed copyright. The matter remains a diplomatic concern, with Japanese officials asking the US to be more careful about using its major gaming and anime properties.