RFC-030: Japan AI Promotion Act — Innovation-Centric Governance — 1. Problem Statement
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RFC-030: Japan AI Promotion Act — Innovation-Centric Governance
PRIVATE AND PROPRIETARY — NOT A PUBLIC RFC. Owned by Kanjani AI Research & Causum. See NOTICE.md.
Status: DRAFT
Authors: Kanjani AI Research & Causum
Date: 2026-06-17
1. Problem Statement
The Japan AI Promotion Act (Act No. 53 of 2025, 人工知能関連技術の研究開発及び活用の推進に関する法律) establishes a governance paradigm fundamentally distinct from both the EU AI Act and the AU Continental AI Strategy. It addresses AI from an innovation-enablement perspective, where:
- Promotion over prohibition — the Act’s primary purpose is to advance AI utilization, not restrict it
- Government obligation — the state MUST actively adopt and promote AI across all sectors
- Citizen responsibility — citizens are encouraged to develop AI literacy and engage constructively with AI systems
- Research-driven governance — policies are guided by scientific research and evidence, not precautionary fear
- Hiroshima AI Process leadership — Japan leads the G7’s approach to AI governance through soft-law mechanisms
- Guidance-based regulation — soft law, industry guidelines, and voluntary codes rather than prohibitions
- Innovation-first framing — any governance measure must demonstrate proportional justification before constraining AI development
The EU AI Act (RFC-028) classifies AI by risk and imposes prohibitions. The AU Strategy (RFC-029) focuses on equitable development and cultural sovereignty. Japan’s Act focuses on accelerating AI adoption while maintaining safety through guidance — a fundamentally different paradigm that assumes AI is beneficial by default and governance should enable, not constrain.