Govt AI Basic Plan to Promote Use of AI in Public Institutions, Aim for Balance in Innovation, Risk Management

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:49 JST, September 11, 2025

The AI basic plan rough draft, which the government eyes to formulate by the end of the year, includes promotion of AI use in public institutions, it has been learned.

Aiming to make Japan “the world’s most AI-friendly country for development and utilization,” the AI basic plan will establish four basic policies for balancing technological innovation and proper risk management.

Japan lags in AI utilization, with the usage rate last year remaining low at around 20% for individuals and 50% for corporations. The draft plan states that “establishing a national AI strategy is more essential than ever,” and presents four basic policies – accelerating promotion of AI utilization, strategic strengthening of development capacity, taking the lead in AI governance and continuing innovation toward becoming an AI society.

For AI utilization, the draft states that government institutions and municipalities should take the lead in improving work efficiency using AI. It also suggests adopting AI for strengthening defense capabilities.

The draft identifies “high-quality data,” which determines AI accuracy, as “Japan’s strength” and calls for building up its development capacity.

With an aim of achieving “collaboration” between humans and AI, the draft emphasizes “continuous transformation of social structures and institutions.” It also addresses the need to examine civil liability frameworks for AI use and ensuring “appropriate protection and utilization of property,” particularly regarding copyright infringement.

It also identifies risks of AI use, such as it providing erroneous answers and spreading disinformation, as well as the impact on national security. The draft calls for conducting thorough government investigations when infringements of rights occur and taking the lead in formulating international rules.

The rough draft of the basic plan, the country’s first of such plans in the area of AI, will be presented at a meeting of the AI strategy headquarters, chaired by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, to be held soon. Afterward, an expert panel will be established to flesh out details, with the plan expected to be finalized by Cabinet approval within the year.