Calls Grow for Action on AI-Driven Foreign Meddling in Elections

Jul 23, 2025 | News On Japan

TOKYO - Japan’s Digital Minister Taira has expressed the need to consider legal measures in response to potential foreign interference in elections through disinformation campaigns on social media.

Addressing concerns over the July Upper House election, Taira said the development of the internet and generative AI has created an environment in which foreign forces could influence domestic elections. He emphasized that Japan should consider overseas precedents when formulating its response.

Source: テレ東BIZ

Major Philippines Quake Triggers Tsunami Alert Across Japan

[Updated 5:53 p.m.] A powerful earthquake struck off Mindanao Island in the southern Philippines at 8:38 a.m. (Japan time) on June 8th, generating tsunami waves across parts of the Pacific, causing building collapses and casualties near the epicenter, and prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency to issue tsunami advisories along a wide stretch of Japan's Pacific coastline, which remained in effect as of 5:53 p.m.

Unlicensed Peruvian Man Conducts Risky Medical Procedure During Delivery

A clinic director and a former Peruvian staff member have been referred to prosecutors after the man allegedly performed medical procedures without a license, including an external cephalic version—a procedure used to manually turn a baby into the correct position before birth—at an obstetrics and gynecology clinic in Fukuoka City, raising concerns about patient safety and oversight in maternity care.

Bear Spotted Running Through Central Utsunomiya Shopping District

A large bear was captured on security camera footage running through a shopping arcade in central Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, in the early hours of June 7th, as authorities stepped up warnings following a series of bear sightings across the city.

Missing American Tourist Found Dead in Mountains Outside Kyoto

The family of James "Weston" Higginbotham, a 20-year-old Auburn University student who disappeared during a family vacation in Japan, announced on June 7th that he has been found dead after a volunteer search-and-rescue group located his body in a mountainous area outside Kyoto, bringing a week-long multinational search to a tragic end.

Tokai and Kanto Enter Rainy Season as Heavy Rain Threatens Western Japan

Japan's Meteorological Agency announced on June 7th that the rainy season is believed to have begun in the Tokai and Kanto-Koshin regions, marking the seasonal shift to wetter weather across a broad area of the country.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Web3 NEWS

Fukuoka Launches AI Training for All Public School Teachers

Fukuoka City began training teachers in the use of generative artificial intelligence on June 5th, as part of an effort to improve classroom instruction and streamline administrative work across its public schools.

Hitachi Secures Access to Anthropic's Advanced AI for Cybersecurity

Hitachi has signed an agreement granting it access to "Claude Mythos," the latest artificial intelligence model developed by U.S.-based AI company Anthropic, sources revealed on June 5th.

How Gamification Is Transforming Traditional Online Leisure Hubs

Gamification is shaking up the way people spend their spare time online, turning passive visits into active adventures.

'Sheep in the Box' Director Explores AI Question

The latest film by Hirokazu Kore-eda, Sheep in the Box, opened in Japan on May 29th after being screened in the Competition section at the Cannes Film Festival, bringing to the screen a near-future story about a grieving couple who welcome into their home a humanoid modeled on their deceased seven-year-old son.

Japan Can Still Compete in the AI Race, Says Former Digital Minister

Former Digital Minister Masaaki Taira, who oversees cybersecurity and artificial intelligence policy within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said Japan still has opportunities to compete in the rapidly evolving AI sector, despite the dominance of major U.S. and Chinese developers.

How Should Society Navigate the AI Era?

Generative artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of everyday life, helping people with everything from studying and work-related tasks to choosing travel destinations and seeking relationship advice, raising questions about how society should engage with a technology that is evolving faster than ever.

Japanese Banks Among First to Test OpenAI's Most Powerful AI Systems

The Japanese government revealed on May 29th that U.S.-based OpenAI has granted access to its latest artificial intelligence technology to a select group of major financial institutions in Japan.

Cybersecurity Enters New Era as AI Unleashes Vulnerability Storm

Anthropic's newly developed AI system, Claude Mythos, is forcing companies to rethink cybersecurity as it dramatically accelerates the discovery of software vulnerabilities while simultaneously raising concerns about how attackers could exploit the technology.

< 2 3 4 5 >