Nintendo, a company known for vigorously defending its intellectual property, has denied claims that it lobbied the Japanese government to protect its assets from generative AI technologies.

The controversy began when Japanese politician Satoshi Asano posted on X (formerly Twitter) about OpenAI’s Sora 2 and the growing concerns among companies regarding potential copyright infringements by generative AI. In his now-deleted post, Asano mistakenly stated that Nintendo of America had allocated a budget for lobbying efforts on this issue.

Following backlash, Asano issued multiple apologies across a series of posts, acknowledging the inaccuracy of his statement. He also took part in a YouTube livestream to further express his regret and clarify the situation.
Nintendo responded with a public statement on X, claiming: “Contrary to recent discussions on the internet, Nintendo has not had any contact with the Japanese government about generative AI.
Whether generative AI is involved or not, we will continue to take necessary actions against infringement of our intellectual property rights.”

It remains unclear whether Nintendo plans to pursue any further action in response to the incident.

In related news, Nintendo recently secured a new U.S. patent (No. 12,403,397), granted on September 2, 2025. The patent covers a gameplay mechanic where a character can summon a supporting sub-character during battle.

Despite similar mechanics appearing in earlier games, both within and outside Nintendo’s portfolio, the patent—originally filed in March 2023—was approved without opposition.