JAPAN has become the latest country to investigate X Corp’s artificial intelligence service Grok, raising concerns over the platform’s potential to generate inappropriate and sexualised images.
Reuters reported today that the move follows global scrutiny of the AI tool, which has already drawn regulatory action in several countries.
Economic Security Minister Kimi Onoda, who also serves as Japan’s minister for AI strategy, said the government has requested X Corp to implement immediate improvements, but no response has been received from the company to date.
“We plan to promptly examine all possible options, including legal measures, if the situation does not improve,” Onoda told reporters on Friday, signalling that Tokyo is prepared to take decisive regulatory action.
The concerns centre on Grok’s ability to allow users to manipulate images, including those of real people, in revealing clothing such as bikinis. xAI, the company behind Grok, said late on Wednesday that it had introduced measures to prevent such edits and had blocked users based on location from generating images “where it’s illegal,” although the company did not specify the jurisdictions involved.
Onoda’s statement comes shortly after Britain and Canada announced their own investigations into the AI service, reflecting growing international attention on the risks posed by generative AI platforms.
Authorities around the world have expressed alarm after it emerged that users could prompt Grok to produce sexualised images of women and minors.
Malaysia and Indonesia have both temporarily blocked access to Grok over the creation of explicit content, joining a global wave of regulatory scrutiny aimed at curbing harmful and illegal uses of AI tools.
Japan’s probe underscores the increasing pressure on AI companies to implement robust safeguards, particularly around content involving real individuals, and highlights a growing trend among governments to regulate generative AI technologies before misuse escalates. - January 16, 2026
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