News On Japan

Japan to Establish AI Safety Assessment Institute

TOKYO, Feb 08 (News On Japan) - The Japanese government is set to establish a specialized agency for the safety assessment of Artificial Intelligence (AI), known as the "AI Safety Institute," by next week, as revealed through interviews with relevant parties.

The Institute for the Promotion of Information Processing, under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, will house the new entity. It is expected to launch with a team comprising dozens of individuals, including government agency staff and private sector experts.

Akiko Murakami, currently serving as the Chief Digital Officer (CDO) at Sompo Japan, has been appointed as the director of the institute.

This initiative represents a significant step by the government towards ensuring the safety and reliability of AI technologies. By bringing together expertise from various governmental departments and the private sector, the AI Safety Institute aims to establish comprehensive guidelines and assessment procedures for AI applications.

The establishment of this institute underscores Japan's commitment to leading in the safe development and deployment of AI technologies. It aims not only to protect consumers and businesses but also to foster innovation and trust in AI systems, ensuring that Japan remains at the forefront of technological advancements while prioritizing safety and ethical considerations.

Source: TBS

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

A fire that scorched the exterior wall of a company operated by a Pakistani national was discovered in Ebetsu, Hokkaido, on March 1st, just one day after a mosque located about 400 meters away caught fire, prompting police to investigate the possibility that the two incidents may be connected.

Police plan to arrest a Japanese doctor in his 60s who lives in the United States and is suspected of spraying an oil-like liquid at Naritasan Shinshoji Temple in Chiba Prefecture in 2015, with the suspect expected to arrive in Japan as early as March 4th, investigators said.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has announced plans to draw up guidelines for the introduction of a so-called dual pricing system that differentiates between foreign visitors and local residents.

Kyoto City significantly raised its lodging tax from March 1st, increasing the maximum charge per person per night from 1,000 yen to as much as 10,000 yen, in a move aimed at tackling overtourism and funding the preservation of cultural assets, even as questions remain about its impact on visitors and the local economy.

A former emergency responder and foreign tourists worked together to rescue a woman in her 80s who was trapped inside an overturned light vehicle in Hakuba Village, Nagano Prefecture.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Web3 NEWS

The fluffy “Tomita no Tamago Baumkuchen,” produced at the cafe Yuuhi Terrace in Miyakonojo, Miyazaki Prefecture, has become a local specialty sweet made with locally sourced eggs and ingredients from across Kyushu.

An AI startup that emerged almost overnight, Akari had long been known only to insiders due to its limited media exposure, but after receiving investment from Mitsubishi Electric at the end of January and seeing its corporate valuation surge past 100 billion yen, the Tokyo-born venture has rapidly positioned itself as a leading unicorn candidate in Japan’s AI sector.

Mizuho Financial Group has decided on a policy to improve operational efficiency through the use of artificial intelligence, aiming to reduce administrative work equivalent to as many as 5,000 employees over the next decade.

An analysis of posts on the creator platform note has produced a ranking of the most talked-about generative AI foundation models, based on a surge in articles about how these tools are being used across industries, with the top spot going to an AI increasingly adopted in education.

How will AI transform marketing? The answer, according to leading marketer Kazuki Nishiguchi, lies not in marginal efficiency gains but in a dramatic restructuring of business itself, as AI agents move closer to consumers and potentially displace even dominant platforms such as Amazon.

Business leaders gathered at the 64th Kansai Business Seminar held at the Kyoto International Conference Center on February 5th and 6th to debate pressing issues facing the regional economy—including AI adoption, the legacy of the Osaka–Kansai Expo, and the use of foreign talent—offering a snapshot of where Kansai stands and where it may be headed.

Anthropic’s latest Claude rollout is reigniting a familiar fear across Silicon Valley: that AI “agents” will hollow out the software-as-a-service business by replacing subscription tools with a single model that can handle office workflows end to end.

Statistics show that over 12.41 million Japanese people use cryptocurrency. That’s about 15% of the country’s adult population.