Jun 05, 2023 07:00:00

It has been pointed out that 'Japan is trying its best to develop AI technology,' but what is different about Japan?

The development of generative AI technology, such as chat AI and image generation AI, is showing rapid progress, and generative AI is appearing in everyday life, such as

being incorporated into search engines and being able to generate images from browsers . Meanwhile, Delos Prime, one of the writers of the technology blog 'Technomancers.ai', points out that 'Japan is making a move to put all its efforts into AI technology.'

Japan Goes All In: Copyright Doesn't Apply to AI Training
https://technomancers.ai/japan-goes-all-in-copyright-doesnt-apply-to-ai-training/

Prime paid attention to the response of Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

Keiko Nagaoka during the question-and-answer session at the House of Representatives Budget Administration Oversight Committee on April 24, 2023. Minister Nagaoka was asked by House of Representatives member Takashi Kii of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan about 'Japan's legal system regarding learning by AI,' to which she replied, 'In our country, it is possible to use works for learning AI regardless of the method, whether it is for non-profit purposes, for profit, acts other than reproduction, or content obtained from illegal sites.' The state of the Budget Administration Oversight Committee can be seen in the movie below, with the response beginning around 1 hour and 18 minutes into the session.

[#National Diet Live Broadcast] House of Representatives Financial Statements Administration Oversight Committee Second Subcommittee ~April 24, 2023~ - YouTube


In Japan, the Copyright Act was revised in 2018 to add the provision that 'in principle, copyrighted works may be freely used to the extent necessary for 'information analysis,'' and Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Nagaoka's response was based on this revision. Regarding the legal aspects, Taichi Kakinuma, a lawyer at STORIA Law Office who participated as a member of the METI Ministry's ' Contract Guidelines for the Use of AI and Data ' and ' Contract Guidelines for Manufacturing Startups ' review committees, has expressed the following opinion:

Automatic image generation AI such as Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and mimic and copyright | Legal advice on intellectual property, IT, artificial intelligence, and venture businesses [STORIA Law Office]
https://storialaw.jp/blog/8820

Automatic image generation AI such as Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and mimic and copyright (part 2) | For legal advice on intellectual property, IT, artificial intelligence, and venture businesses, please contact STORIA Law Office
https://storialaw.jp/blog/8883

Prime called Minister Nagaoka's response a 'bold stance,' adding, 'While it has received little coverage in English-speaking countries, the Japanese government appears to believe that copyright concerns, particularly those related to anime and other visual media, are impeding the progress of Japan's AI technology. In response, Japan has chosen an all-out copyright-free approach to remain competitive.'

Prime also mentioned that Japanese semiconductor company Rapidus is in the spotlight in the world of semiconductors for AI. Rapidus received a 260 billion yen subsidy from the Japanese government in April 2023 and aims to domestically produce advanced semiconductors essential for self-driving cars and AI. Prime argued that 'this news shows part of Japan's ambitious plan to become a world leader in AI technology.'

Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry formally announces 260 billion yen subsidy for new semiconductor 'Rapidus' factory | NHK | Economic Security
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20230425/k10014048251000.html

'Not everyone in Japan agrees with this decision. Many creators of anime, illustrations, and other fields are concerned that the advent of AI will reduce the value of their work,' Prime said. On the other hand, he argues that academic and business communities are pressuring the government to relax regulations on the handling of AI-related data in order to give Japan a global lead in the field of AI.

Prime argues, 'Japan's economic growth has been sluggish since the 1990s. Japan has the lowest per capita income among the G7 countries, but if AI is effectively implemented, it could boost the country's GDP by more than 50% in a short period of time. For Japan, which has experienced many years of sluggish economic growth, the promotion of AI is expected to be a stimulus.'

Prime also pointed out that the key to AI is 'a lot of available, high-quality training data.' Although the amount of Japanese learning data is significantly less than that of English, Prime argued that Japan has an abundance of training resources because of its globally popular anime content.

'From a global perspective, Japan's move is a game changer in the debate over AI regulation. The current discussion is based on the assumption that developing countries are 'rogue states' that ignore global frameworks and gain an advantage. However, Japan is acting differently. As the world's third largest economy, Japan has said it will not impede AI research and development. Moreover, it is preparing to use AI technology to compete directly with Western countries,' Prime said, arguing that Japan is trying to outdo the United States and Europe in AI technology.