News On Japan

Japan Introduces AI to Reduce Civil Servants' Workloads

TOKYO - Japan's Digital Agency began offering a trial version of a generative artificial intelligence application on October 30 to help government officials prepare responses to parliamentary questions, aiming to reduce the workload of approximately 180,000 government employees and address the long working hours faced by national civil servants.

The application is designed to streamline the entire process of preparing parliamentary responses, from searching past answers and reference materials to drafting replies, using AI to improve efficiency and reduce the time officials spend on these tasks.

Preparing responses to questions raised in the Diet has long been a demanding responsibility for government ministries and agencies, often requiring extensive research and coordination.

The Digital Agency emphasized that government officials will remain responsible for finalizing responses and making policy decisions, stating that judgment will not be delegated to AI.

Source: Kyodo

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

As of 6 a.m. on November 5, strong Typhoon No. 31 (In-fa) was moving north over waters approximately 370 kilometers west of Chichijima in the Ogasawara Islands, with powerful waves expected to affect coastal areas across eastern and northern Japan even as the storm turns northeast and moves away from the country.

Japanese calligraphy is set to be added to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list after an evaluation body recommended its registration on November 5th, paving the way for the traditional art form to become Japan's 24th entry and its first since traditional sake brewing was recognized in 2024.

Japan's government is facing growing pressure from opposition lawmakers to clarify who will qualify for a new financial support program and how much they will receive, as deliberations on legislation to reduce the consumption tax on food and introduce payments for low- and middle-income earners enter their final stages in the House of Representatives.

A smartphone caught fire at Narita Airport's Terminal 1 shortly after 7:30 a.m. on November 4th, prompting the dispatch of 10 fire trucks and other emergency vehicles before the blaze was extinguished about 30 minutes later, with no injuries reported.

A memorial service was held at a cemetery in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward on the morning of November 4 to honor police and security dogs that served in criminal investigations, disaster rescue operations, and other police duties, with 11 dogs newly laid to rest since late September 2025.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Politics NEWS

Japan's Digital Agency began offering a trial version of a generative artificial intelligence application on October 30 to help government officials prepare responses to parliamentary questions, aiming to reduce the workload of approximately 180,000 government employees and address the long working hours faced by national civil servants.

A city council in Hyogo Prefecture has postponed a decision on whether newly elected councilor and professional wrestler Billyken Kid, 52, should be allowed to wear his trademark mask during assembly sessions, following his first-place finish in the Kawanishi City Council election held in October.

Japan marked the 80th anniversary of the promulgation of its Constitution on November 3rd, with demonstrators gathering outside the National Diet to defend its pacifist principles as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pushes for constitutional revision and an early parliamentary proposal.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi held rare bilateral talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of a G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, on October 30 and 31, raising questions about whether Russian President Vladimir Putin could return to major international summits and how Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi would respond to a possible encounter with the Russian leader.

The foreign ministers of Japan, the United States, Australia and India met in the United States on October 31st, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening cooperation on economic security, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence under the four-nation framework known as the Quad.

U.S. intelligence agencies suspect that a Chinese female intelligence operative developed a close relationship with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang in an attempt to obtain confidential corporate and U.S. government information, according to a report published by The New York Times on October 29th.

The city of Yubari in Hokkaido, which declared financial collapse 20 years ago, is preparing to complete repayment of approximately 35.3 billion yen in debt by March 2027, paving the way for lower property taxes, improved municipal employee salaries, and a renewed focus on public services.

The Japanese government has asked major telecommunications operators to forcibly block access to websites believed to contain personal information stolen in a cyberattack on GMO, it emerged on October 29th, as authorities moved to prevent further exposure of sensitive data online.