The government has drawn up a draft of its basic program on the development and use of artificial intelligence, aiming to increase the AI utilization rate among the public initially to 50% and eventually to 80%.

The draft emphasizes the need to boost AI usage with a view to developing Japan’s own AI technologies.

It also seeks a policy to attract about ¥1 trillion ($6.4 billion) in private-sector investment to enhance research and development activities. The government aims to adopt the basic program at a Cabinet meeting by the end of the year.

Currently, the United States and China are taking the lead in the development of AI, with the proportion of people who have used generative AI standing at 68.8% and 81.2%, respectively, far higher than 26.7% in Japan.

The draft highlights the importance of raising AI utilization across society to promote development. AI is positioned as a social infrastructure, described as "an intellectual foundation and an execution platform."

The draft includes plans to create an "AI ecosystem" in which AI developers and users, semiconductor manufacturers and cloud service providers collaborate as a single ecosystem to pave the way for expanding into overseas markets and addressing Japan’s trade deficit in the digital sector.

It also calls for AI to be utilized by all ministries and agencies, and eventually by all government employees.

Specific examples of the 1-trillion-yen private-sector investment include projects to secure human resources, support the expansion of the AI industry into emerging markets and improve research and development infrastructure.

In her policy speech in October, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pledged to make Japan "the easiest country in the world to develop and utilize AI."

Prioritizing AI as a key investment area, the government plans to accelerate research and development by attracting investment through public-private partnerships.