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Japan's AI Promotion Act (Act No. 53 of 2025): what businesses need to know

General information, not legal advice. Summaries below are Unadhi's plain-English reading of the official Japanese text on e-Gov; the Japanese text is the authoritative version. Checked 14 October 2026.

The law in one line

The official title is 人工知能関連技術の研究開発及び活用の推進に関する法律 (Act on Promotion of Research, Development and Utilization of AI-Related Technologies), Act No. 53 of 2025 (令和七年法律第五十三号), short name "AI法". It is a framework law: it sets basic principles, duties for the state, local governments, research bodies, businesses and citizens, an AI Basic Plan, and an AI Strategic Headquarters in the Cabinet.

Key dates

What it says, article by article (the parts that matter to firms)

The Act itself does not create a licence, registration or conformity-assessment scheme for AI systems. Practical expectations for companies are set out in guidance, chiefly the AI Guidelines for Business.

The AI Guidelines for Business (METI and MIC)

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) publish the AI事業者ガイドライン (AI Guidelines for Business). Version 1.0 was published on 19 April 2024, version 1.01 on 22 November 2024, version 1.1 on 28 March 2025, and version 1.2 on 31 March 2026. Version 1.2 includes a checklist and worksheet (Appendix 7). They are voluntary guidance, not statute.

Three practical steps this week

  1. List every AI system you build, sell or use in the business, with owner and purpose. That list is what Article 7 cooperation, the Guidelines checklist and any customer due-diligence question all start from.
  2. Run the list against the METI/MIC Guidelines v1.2 checklist (Appendix 7) and note gaps.
  3. If you sell AI products or services into the EU, check the EU AI Act separately: it has binding obligations and its own timetable (see Unadhi EU AI Act guides).

Free tool for step 1: EURO AI Register (record 1 AI system free; membership $19/month or $190/year via Gumroad). Staff training: Unadhi Academy free AI literacy course. Using the register does not make you compliant with any law by itself.

For tax accountants and advisers (税理士・会計事務所)

Partner programme: up to 50% of net revenue received, paid automatically via Gumroad affiliate payouts.

Official sources