Photo/Illutration The Metropolitan Police Department headquarters in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Police arrested four people on suspicion of selling obscene images created with generative artificial intelligence in what they describe as the first crackdown of its kind in Japan.

The individuals separately produced posters detailing the lower half and other body parts of imaginary women with generative AI and sold them on online auction sites in October, Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Department announced on April 15.

Three men admitted to the wrongdoing, police said. A woman partly denied the allegations, saying she was not aware that sale of the obscene materials was illegal.

Police believe that the four are strangers to each other and committed the crime independently.

The suspects used free AI tools, among other means. They pixelated the lower half of women in samples but sent unedited images to buyers, police said.

The posters were sold for about 1,000 yen to 5,000 yen ($7-$35) apiece.

Tomohiro Mizutani, from Kita-Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, garnered more than 10 million yen a year, the largest amount among the four, police said.

The 44-year-old started producing posters early last year. The MPD confirmed that he had posted more than 2,000 pieces on auction sites by February.

Mizutani studied computer programming. The three others have no specialized knowledge about information technology, police said.

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