What Japan expects from businesses using AI
Japan AI Promotion Act and AI Business Guidelines
- Status
- In force
- Binding
- No
- Object analysed
- Organisation
- Requirements
- 2
- Next milestone
- —
In short
Promotion framework law, no penalties. Creates the AI Strategy Headquarters and a basic plan. Concrete expectations come from the METI/MIC guidelines.
Steps to compliance
- Inventory your AI systemsThis framework does not classify systems: its principles apply to the whole organisation.
- Determine your roleDuties vary by role: Business.
- Apply the 2 requirementsThey focus on: Governance & accountability, Risk management, Fairness & non-discrimination and Transparency & notice.
- Prove it with checks5 checks to document, 5 of which also serve NIST AI RMF, ISO 42001 and Colorado AI Act.
- Keep compliance up to dateEvery known milestone has passed: the obligations apply.
Scope and penalties
- Kind
- Statute
- Scope
- Businesses using AI (duty to cooperate).
- Territorial reach
- Japan.
- Penalties
- None; names may be published in case of misuse.
- Jurisdiction
- Japan
Timeline
Qualifying a system
Classification axes and possible verdicts
No classification: a principles framework applied to the whole organisation.
Requirements
2 requirements
| Code | Article | Requirement | Applies to | Checks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP-01 | Art. 7 | Cooperate with national measures and follow the guidelines | ||
| JP-02 | Guidelines, part 2 | Common principles: human-centric, safety, fairness, privacy, security, transparency, accountability |
Checks to document
Evidence collected for a check counts for every regulation that uses it.
| Code | Check | Scope | Themes | Also used by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHK-LEGAL-MAP | Applicable legal and regulatory requirements for AI are identified, mapped and monitored | Organisation | ||
| CHK-POL-TRUST | Trustworthy-AI characteristics are embedded in organizational policies and a safety-first culture | Organisation | ||
| CHK-POL-RISK | An AI risk-management policy and process are established through transparent, documented controls | Organisation | ||
| CHK-BIAS | Fairness and bias are evaluated and results documented | System | ||
| CHK-TRANSPARENCY | Transparency and accountability risks are examined and documented | System |
Themes covered
Frequently asked questions
Who is in scope of AI Promotion Act?
Businesses using AI (duty to cooperate). Japan.
What penalties does AI Promotion Act carry?
None; names may be published in case of misuse.
When do the AI Promotion Act obligations apply?
Sep 1, 2025: Full entry into force; Dec 2025: AI Basic Plan adopted.
Is AI Promotion Act binding?
No. Kind: statute. Status: in force.
How does AI Promotion Act relate to other regulations?
The same checks serve several texts. Shared checks: NIST AI RMF (5), ISO 42001 (3) and Colorado AI Act (2).
Related regulations
Official sources
Data checked on Sep 25, 2026. General information, not legal advice. Check the official texts and get advice for your situation.
Run these requirements across all your AI systems
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