Japan’s lower house passes AI bill as nation targets Western investment

Japan's lower house passes AI bill as nation targets Western investment Japan's lower house passes AI bill as nation targets Western investment

TOKYO — Lawmakers in Japan’s lower house has passed the country’s first regulatory bill for artificial intelligence on in an attempt to position the nation as the “most AI-friendly country in the world.”

The government hopes that the bill, which is expected to pass swiftly in the ruling coalition-controlled upper house after making it through the lower house on Thursday, will help attract AI-related investment. U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and America’s push for tech dominance could, however, complicate those efforts.