Tokyo, March 31, 2025 — Visual Bank Inc. (Head Office: Shibuya, Tokyo; CEO: Saneyuki Nagai), a company driving AI development through Japan’s iconic Intellectual Properties (IP) content such as manga, anime, and games, has been selected as a research and demonstration partner for GENIAC (Generative AI Accelerator Challenge). A national project initiated by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).
Visual Bank’s selected proposal, titled “Building and Demonstrating a Practical Data Ecosystem for the IP Industry – Developing a Scalable Data Library with Industry-Specific Foundational Datasets”, has been granted approximately 1.5 billion yen in funding as of March 31, 2025.
As generative AI continues to advance, the industry is confronting a fundamental challenge; the shortage of high-quality, usable data. This issue is largely attributable to the IP sector, where developers struggle to access valuable data from rights holders in fields such as manga, anime, and gaming. The result is a growing disconnect between content owners and AI developers, which not only hinders innovation but also contributes to the unauthorized use of protected content. This increasing prevalence of unlicensed AI training and output generation underscores the urgent need for a reliable, rights-conscious data ecosystem.
To address these challenges, Visual Bank is launching a two-year research and development initiative focused on building a robust data infrastructure for the IP industry. The project will involve the creation of structured, rights-cleared datasets and the development of a scalable data library system to facilitate the secure collection, management, and distribution of IP data. By establishing transparent usage terms and ensuring proper rights management, the initiative aims to create a foundation for generative AI development in Japan.
Through this effort, Visual Bank is committed to unlock the full potential of “IP × AI” by closing the gap between content creators and technology developers, and by laying the groundwork for a sustainable, innovation-driven ecosystem that respects the value of Japanese content in the age of AI.
About the “GENIAC” Call for Proposals
The GENIAC program is part of the broader "Post-5G Information and Communication Systems Infrastructure Enhancement R&D Project" and was established to promote the utilization of data and generative AI in Japan. Under this initiative, METI and NEDO are selecting companies to lead research and demonstration projects that will strengthen Japan’s AI capabilities in strategic sectors.
More details on the NEDO call for proposals (https://www.nedo.go.jp/koubo/CD2_100391.html (Japanese only))
Background of the Demonstration Project and Visual Bank’s Selected Initiative
Japan is home to a wealth of globally recognized cultural assets, particularly IP content created through manga, anime, and games. However, the adoption of AI across the IP industry remains limited.
Due to growing concerns over copyright infringement, IP content held by original creators and production studios is not actively shared with AI developers. At the same time, while many developers see strong potential in leveraging Japan’s IP strengths for AI innovation, they are often unable to realize these ideas due to a lack of access to authorized data.
Under this initiative, Visual Bank aims to build a foundation for the sustainable and large-scale development of AI utilizing Japanese IP content. The selected project, titled “Building and Demonstrating a Practical Data Ecosystem for the IP Industry — Development of a Scalable Data Library System with Industry-Specific Foundational Datasets,” will focus on creating a long-term framework to support responsible AI innovation within the IP sector.
The project consists of three key demonstration themes:
Theme 1: Development of foundational datasets for fine-tuning and other AI needs, tailored to the IP industry
Theme 2: Develop a dedicated data library system and establish a supportive social infrastructure, such as clear usage policies and security protocols
Theme 3: Demonstration of the data library system’s effectiveness through the creation of model generative AI use cases with IP content
To ensure IP rights holders can safely contribute their content, the project will be built on clear rules for licensing, usage, and fair compensation.
With a grant of approximately ¥1.5 billion yen, Visual Bank will execute this two-year demonstration project to drive forward AI innovation that leverages the distinct value and creative power of Japan’s IP content.
Project Overview
Program Title
Post-5G Information and Communication Systems Infrastructure Enhancement R&D Project / Survey on Advanced Use Cases for the Utilization of Data and Generative AI (Survey Type 1)
Project Title
“Building and Demonstrating a Practical Data Ecosystem for the IP Industry – Developing a Scalable Data Library System with Industry-Specific Foundational Datasets”
Project Start Date (planned): April 1, 2025
Maximum Budget: 1.5 billion yen
Official Announcement (Japanese Only):
Messages
● Takeya Watanabe, Director, Information Processing Industry Office, Commerce and Information Policy Bureau, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI):
Japan is facing serious challenges such as a declining population, making it more urgent than ever to boost productivity. In this context, embracing digital technology is essential. As generative AI begins to spread, holding the potential to be a truly transformative technology—the importance of effectively using data continues to grow.
To support this, it's crucial to build a data-driven ecosystem where high-quality data is properly collected and shared, where diverse players come together, and where competitive AI solutions can be developed, applied, and continuously improved to meet changing needs. This demonstration project is an important step toward that vision.
We hope Visual Bank will take on a leading role in promoting responsible data circulation, starting with data from Japan’s anime and manga industries. We look forward to seeing the company’s continued growth and impact in this space.
● Saneyuki Nagai, CEO, Visual Bank Inc.:
At Visual Bank, our mission is to “unlock the full potential of all data.” Since our founding, we’ve focused on bridging the gap between data holders and AI developers, working to solve the challenges around data supply and demand.
The goals of this initiative closely align with the work we’ve been committed to from the very beginning, and we approach this opportunity with an even greater sense of purpose.
Through this project, we aim to build a sustainable framework that enables the continuous development of “IP × AI” use cases originating from Japan. There are important challenges we must address, such as establishing clear usage terms and licensing rules, setting data governance policies, and ensuring strong security standards—to give IP data holders the confidence to participate.
But we believe that beyond those hurdles lies a future where uniquely Japanese generative AI use cases, powered by manga, anime, games, and other IP content, capture the world’s imagination. With that belief, the entire Visual Bank team is fully committed to this project.
Careers at Visual Bank
Visual Bank is always looking for talented individuals to join our team. If you're interested in working with us, please visit our recruitment page below.
▶︎ Visual Bank Recruitment: https://visual-bank.co.jp/recruit
About Visual Bank
Visual Bank Inc. is a next-generation startup dedicated to building and providing advanced data infrastructure that maximizes AI development. Guided by our mission to “unlock the full potential of all data,” we lead projects that support the creation of cutting-edge “IP × AI” use cases.
Visual Bank is also the sole owner of Amana Images Inc., a company that provides Qlean Dataset—a specialized service for developing high-quality datasets for AI training.
Saneyuki Nagai, CEO
Head Office: WeWork, Nippon TV Yotsuya Building, 5-3-23 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0083
Company Website: https://visual-bank.co.jp/
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