Artificial Intelligence Will Reduce Japan’s Workforce in Next 10 Years, Many Top Executives Say

The Yomiuri Shimbun

21:00 JST, January 3, 2026

More than 40% of top executives in Japan said their companies’ employees will decrease over the next decade due to the impact of generative artificial intelligence, according to a recent questionnaire by The Yomiuri Shimbun.

The same questionnaire also found that more than 30% of the executives use generative AI as part of their management decisions, but many respondents stressed that they cannot fully depend on the technology for ethical, safety-related, or highly complex management judgments.

The Yomiuri Shimbun asked 41 leaders of major Japanese companies from various industries about the prospects for the economy from late November to mid-December.

Eighteen executives predicted that generative AI would reduce their workforce, with five of them projecting a drop of 10% or more in the number of employees. Many respondents said that AI would replace workers in such areas as data entry, document preparation and call center operations.

Fifteen executives said that they saw no impact of generative AI on their employment. The only respondent predicting an increase in the number of employees, Skylark Holdings Co. Chairman Makoto Tani, said that the company will expand staffing for digitization specialists. He also said using AI will boost productivity, leading to new store openings and business expansion, resulting in hiring more restaurant staff.

Fourteen executives said they use AI as part of their management decisions. Many cited using it for gathering and sorting information. Kirin Holdings Co. CEO Yoshinori Isozaki said that the company uses an AI executive as a pilot project. It is tasked with raising points for discussion at management meetings, with the fundamental premise being that “final decisions are made by humans,” according to Isozaki.

Asked about the types of work that cannot be entrusted to AI going forward, Seibu Holdings Inc. President Ryuichiro Nishiyama raised hospitality, face-to-face customer service and entertainment shows. Ajinomoto Co. President Shigeo Nakamura mentioned final inspections for food safety and quality assurance. Shimizu Corp. President Tatsuya Shimmura cited skilled tasks requiring expertise, such as work on cultural properties.

When asked about artificial general intelligence, which would be capable of handling tasks across various fields, and how soon it might be realized, 10 executives answered within five years, and nine respondents answered five years to nine years. Six people predicted 10 years or more, and 15 respondents said they didn’t know.