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Global AI Governance Law and Policy: Japan
This article, part of a series co-sponsored by HCLTech, analyzes the laws, policies, and broader contextual history and developments relevant to AI governance in Japan. The full series can be accessed here.
Published: November 2025
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Japan's approach to an artificial intelligence policy is both unique and strategically nuanced. While firmly committed to the shared democratic values upheld by jurisdictions like the U.S. and Europe, Japan has pursued mutual respect and interoperability grounded in a recognition of diverse global values.
While the policy framework might initially suggest prudence, its substance is decidedly proactive and firm. It reflects a deliberate, strategic orientation toward becoming "the most AI-friendly country in the world" — a compelling vision this article will explore in depth, tracing its historical development.
Japan has consistently positioned itself as a global leader in promoting the practical application of AI. This initiative formally began in 2016 with the government's introduction of "Society 5.0" within its Fifth Science and Technology Basic Plan. Society 5.0 envisions a future that achieves concurrent economic advancement and the resolution of critical social challenges through a deep integration of cyber and physical spaces.
At its core, the concept aims to create a human-centered society where big data, leveraged by AI, delivers tailored information to individuals. Robotics also play a key role by addressing pressing issues like labor shortages, regional depopulation, and demographic aging. Ultimately, this vision seeks to foster a society where people of all generations can live with mutual respect and dignity.
Building upon the Society 5.0 vision, the government released the "Social Principles of Human-Centric AI" in 2019. These principles articulate three foundational values: dignity — respecting human worth; diversity and inclusion — enabling all individuals to pursue happiness; and sustainability — ensuring long-term viability and well-being. In alignment with these core values, the government subsequently issued a series of supportive guidance documents, including the "AI R&D Guidelines," the "AI Utilization Guidelines," and the “Governance Guidelines for the Implementation of AI Principles.”
A core component of Japan's AI governance framework is agile governance, which emphasizes continuous, rapid iteration using the plan-do-check-act cycle to ensure adaptive and responsive policy development. This concept was further elaborated in the 2022 report, "Agile Governance Update: How Governments, Businesses and Civil Society Can Create a Better World By Reimagining Governance." Demonstrating this adaptive spirit, in 2024, Japan consolidated its previously dispersed guidelines into a comprehensive document, the "AI Business Operator Guidelines," which was subsequently revised in 2025 to reflect evolving technological and societal needs.
Japan's approach emphasizes agility and pluralistic interoperability. In May 2025, Japan enacted the Act on Promotion of Research and Development, and Utilization of AI-related Technology, also referred to as the AI Promotion Act, which came into full effect in September. Unlike the EU's AI Act, which emphasizes regulatory oversight, the AI Promotion Act is designed primarily to support and accelerate the development and deployment of AI technologies. It represents a proactive and facilitative approach to AI governance.
The act is underpinned by four fundamental principles. First, it aims to enhance AI research and development capabilities and strengthen international competitiveness. Second, the act promotes comprehensive and strategic efforts by all stakeholders across the entire AI lifecycle. Third, it enables transparency in the development and use of AI while implementing necessary measures to mitigate associated risks. Finally, the act commits to taking a leading role in international cooperation on AI governance and standards.
Consistent with Japan's broader commitment to agile governance, the AI Promotion Act establishes a framework for implementing a continuous plan-do-check-act cycle to realize these principles.
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Plan
The Artificial Intelligence Strategy Headquarters, chaired by the prime minister, is responsible for formulating the AI Basic Plan that outlines national strategies and priorities.
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Do
Implementation is carried out by a wide range of stakeholders, including national and local governments, research institutions, private enterprises, and the general public. Private sector actors are expected to cooperate with government initiatives, with their responsibilities defined as "best-effort obligations" rather than legally binding mandates. However, violations of existing laws — such as the Act on the Protection of Personal Information, Copyright Act, or other sector-specific regulations — remain subject to legal penalties. Under Japan's copyright law, the act of searching for and collecting content, like news articles from websites, without permission for use in AI responses could be judged as copyright infringement. This is based on the principle that such usage may "unfairly harm the interests of the copyright holder." This legal risk was made clear in 2025 when newspaper companies filed related lawsuits, such as the Yomiuri Shimbun lawsuit against Perplexity. Thus, it would be inaccurate to claim that Japan's AI governance framework lacks enforceable provisions.
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Check
The national government is tasked with monitoring domestic and international trends in AI research and applications. It also investigates cases where AI technologies are developed or used for illicit purposes or in inappropriate ways that may infringe on citizens' rights. Based on these analyses, the government formulates countermeasures and provides guidance, advice, and information to relevant parties. The AI Safety Institute and the G7 Hiroshima AI Process reporting framework are expected to play a key role in these promising initiatives whose effects will be seen over the next decade.
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Act
This phase involves revising laws and guidelines, as well as updating the AI Basic Plan to reflect new insights and developments.
The AI Promotion Act is thus positioned as a foundational element in Japan's broader effort to build the societal infrastructure necessary for realizing the Society 5.0 vision — a human-centered, technologically advanced society that harmonizes innovation with inclusivity and sustainability.
Other laws, regulations or guidelines
Among the various legal reforms accompanying Japan's AI advancement, the most significant changes have occurred in the realm of copyright law. The 2018 amendment to the Copyright Act introduced a groundbreaking provision (Article 30-4) that permits the use of copyrighted works for purposes of information analysis, including AI development and training, without requiring prior authorization from rights holders, provided the use is not intended to replicate the work's expressive content.
Demonstrating the limits of this safe harbor provision, the government formally requested that OpenAI refrain from copyright infringement after its Sora 2 text-to-video model generated the likenesses of copyrighted anime and video game characters. Furthermore, in the generation and utilization phase of AI, the standard rules of copyright infringement apply, meaning that AI-generated content is judged under the same criteria as human-created works. Relatedly, government agencies have launched GENIAC, an initiative to raise the level of foundation model development capabilities in Japan.
In June 2025, the government adopted a Basic Policy on the Ideal Data Utilization System, signaling a shift toward more flexible use of personal data. The policy outlines a proposed amendment to the APPI, aiming to allow the sharing of personal data, including sensitive data, with third parties for purposes, such as statistical analysis and AI development, without requiring individual consent. This move is intended to facilitate innovation while maintaining appropriate safeguards.
As previously noted, support for businesses implementing AI governance includes the publication of the AI Business Operator Guidelines, which consolidate key principles and best practices. In addition, the government has released a "Contract Checklist for AI Use and Development," designed to facilitate the responsible and effective deployment of AI by providing practical guidance on drafting and reviewing contracts related to AI technologies.
Turning to the public sector, the government has taken proactive steps to institutionalize AI governance and promote its responsible use within administrative operations. In this context, the Guidelines for the Procurement and Utilization of Generative AI for the Evolution and Innovation of Administration were established. These guidelines define the government's approach to AI promotion, governance, procurement, and utilization, laying the foundation for a comprehensive framework that enables the active and responsible adoption of AI technologies across government functions.
On the public sector front, the government has taken proactive steps to institutionalize AI governance and released the Guidelines for the Procurement and Utilization of Generative AI in Public Administration. These guidelines establish a framework for the responsible adoption of generative AI in government operations, focusing on risk management, transparency, and ethical use.
A notable innovation in this space is the development of Gennai platform, a government-backed generative AI system designed to enhance administrative efficiency and service delivery. Generative AI has already begun to be deployed within various ministries and agencies, supporting administrative tasks and enhancing operational efficiency. This marks a significant step toward the digital transformation of public services and reflects Japan's commitment to leveraging AI not only in the private sector but also as a strategic asset in governance.
The Hiroshima AI Process, launched in 2023 under Japan's G7 presidency, marked an important milestone for global AI governance coordination. A central component of this initiative is the Hiroshima AI Process' Comprehensive Policy Framework, which was developed to promote the safe, secure, and trustworthy deployment of advanced AI systems. This international framework includes guiding principles and a code of conduct aimed at fostering responsible AI innovation across borders.
Building on this, the HAIP introduced a reporting framework in 2024 to enhance transparency and accountability in AI system development. Operationalizing under the auspices of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development starting in 2025, the framework allows AI developers to voluntarily respond to a standardized set of questions about their practices. These responses are made publicly available, enabling companies to benchmark their efforts against peers and build essential trust with users and stakeholders.
By encouraging voluntary participation and public disclosure, the HAIP not only promotes global best practices but also strengthens international collaboration toward a shared vision of trustworthy AI.
While the government has not specifically addressed agentic AI in any of the released policies, guidelines or laws, the broader principles on responsible and trustworthy AI are likely to be used to apply to the development of agentic AI.
Japan's approach to AI policy carves out a distinct path. It does not pursue AI supremacy like the policy proposed by the U.S. government in 2025, nor does it aim for the broad, high-risk regulation adopted by the EU AI Act and related relevant legislation. Instead, Japan's policy is rooted in the Society 5.0 vision: creating an environment that ensures the safety and security of its citizens and realizes a society where diverse happiness can be achieved for every individual.
Under this vision, the use of intrusive AI is naturally unacceptable as it threatens public safety and security. Similarly, unfair bias hinders the realization of individual happiness and is therefore also prohibited. Undesirable AI applications will be addressed using Japan's existing laws and regulations.
In summary, while Japan's approach to AI regulation differs from that of Western countries, its objective remains clear and consistent: to establish a robust framework that safeguards individual rights and freedoms while charting a path toward a desirable future society. Rather than imposing rigid constraints, Japan's legal and policy architecture seek to enable innovation through trust, transparency, and inclusive governance.
Articles in this series, co-sponsored by HCLTech, dive into the laws, policies, broader contextual history and developments relevant to AI governance across different jurisdictions. The selected jurisdictions are a small but important snapshot of distinct approaches to AI governance regulation in key global markets.
Each article provides a breakdown of the key sources and instruments that govern the strategic, technological and compliance landscape for AI governance in the jurisdiction through voluntary frameworks, sectoral initiatives or comprehensive legislative approaches.
Global AI Governance Law and Policy
Jurisdiction Overviews 2025
The overview page for this series can be accessed here.
- Australia
- Canada
- China
- European Union
- India
- Japan
- Singapore
- South Korea
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Supplementary article: AI governance in the agentic era
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Additional AI resources
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