What the law is
Japan’s Act on the Promotion of Research, Development and Utilization of AI-Related Technologies (Act No. 53 of 2025) is the country’s first AI-specific law. It was enacted on 28 May 2025, promulgated and partly in force on 4 June 2025, and fully in force on 1 September 2025.
Unlike the EU AI Act, it is a promotion law. Its stated purpose is improving people’s lives and developing the national economy, and its basic principles cover R&D and competitiveness, promotion from research to use, transparency, and international leadership. Key features:
- AI Strategic Headquarters, chaired by the Prime Minister with all cabinet ministers as members.
- A duty to make efforts for businesses: they “shall endeavor to cooperate” with government measures. This is not a hard obligation.
- Government information-gathering and guidance: the government collects information, investigates cases where people’s rights or interests are infringed, and gives guidance and advice.
- No pre-market approval scheme for individual AI products. It is not a certification regime.
The official English overview does not mention penalties. We could not open the full statutory text on e-Gov to confirm the absence of penalty clauses directly.
What changed in 2025 and 2026
| Date | Development |
|---|---|
| 1 Sep 2025 | Act fully in force; AI Strategic Headquarters set up |
| 19 Dec 2025 | Guideline on ensuring appropriateness of AI (Article 13) decided |
| 23 Dec 2025 | First AI Basic Plan approved by Cabinet: “pursue trustworthy AI” and become the country where AI is easiest to develop and use |
| 14 Jul 2026 | Revised AI Basic Plan under Article 18(1), adding AI agents, physical AI, “responsible agile governance”, and a stronger AI Safety Institute |
The July 2026 plan says it will be revised every year for now, so any summary of “the AI Basic Plan” needs a date.
Where to find it
- Cabinet Office AI Act page: law, dates, English overview, and supplementary resolutions of both Houses.
- AI Basic Plan PDFs on the Cabinet Office site.
- e-Gov Law Search for the Japanese statute text.
Reuse terms
Cabinet Office content is reusable under the Public Data License 1.0 (PDL1.0) unless otherwise noted. PDL1.0 allows copying, translation, and adaptation, including commercial use, with source attribution and a statement of any edits, and it is compatible with CC BY 4.0. Logos, symbols, and character designs are excluded. Separately, Japan’s Copyright Act (Article 13) excludes laws and regulations from copyright protection, so the statute text itself is free; the condition is on commentary, slides, and attachments.
Using the Act in AI and RAG
- Index the Japanese statute as the authority and the English overview as a reference, tagged “provisional translation”.
- Store the AI Basic Plan by version date (Dec 2025, Jul 2026), and expect yearly updates.
- Keep law, plan, and guidelines in separate layers. The plan and guidelines are not statutes.
- Add PDL1.0 attribution (“Source: Cabinet Office website, URL”) and an edit note to translated outputs.
- Do not describe the Act as a licensing or approval law in AI answers.
Common mistakes
- Calling it “Japan’s version of the EU AI Act”. It has no risk classes or conformity assessment.
- Treating the business duty as mandatory compliance with fines.
- Citing the December 2025 Basic Plan after the July 2026 revision.
- Dropping attribution on translated Cabinet Office material.
Checklist
- Japanese statute text indexed with promulgation and effective dates
- English overview labeled as a reference translation
- AI Basic Plan stored by version date
- Article 13 guideline linked as a separate layer
- PDL1.0 attribution and edit notes in outputs
How AskDona helps
AskDona compares your AI governance policies with the Japanese texts you select and cites the exact article, plan section, or guideline item behind each finding, with its version date.
Run a sample Japan AI governance check
AskDona shows the evidence; your legal and compliance team decides.
Editor’s note. This article is general information, not legal advice. The “conditions to check” rating comes from our source list and is a first-pass judgment, not a legal opinion.
FAQ
Does Japan’s AI law require approval for AI products? No. It promotes AI and sets government structures; it has no product approval scheme.
Are there fines? The official English overview mentions none. Businesses have a duty to endeavor to cooperate with government measures.
What is the AI Basic Plan? The government’s AI strategy under the Act. The first was approved 23 Dec 2025 and revised 14 Jul 2026.
Can I put the Act into an AI tool? The law text is not copyrighted in Japan. Cabinet Office materials are reusable under PDL1.0 with attribution.
References
All pages opened and checked by October 26, 2026.
| Source | What it supports |
|---|---|
| Cabinet Office: AI Act page | Promulgation and effective dates |
| Cabinet Office: English overview of the AI Act (PDF) | Purpose, HQ, business duty, guidance powers |
| Impress Watch: AI Basic Plan approved (Dec 2025) | First Basic Plan, 23 Dec 2025 |
| Cabinet Office: AI Basic Plan, 14 Jul 2026 (PDF) | Revised plan, Art. 18(1) |
| Cabinet Office: Terms of use | PDL1.0, exclusions |
| Digital Agency: PDL1.0 | Commercial use, CC BY 4.0 compatibility |
| Japanese Law Translation: Copyright Act | Art. 13: laws not protected by copyright |