Kihara Convenes First AI and Digital Reform Council
Overview
On October 22, 2026, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara convened the first AI and Digital Reform Promotion Council at the Prime Minister's Office and discussed how it would operate. The council identified a concrete vision for AX, AI and digital reform principles, and faster implementation of AX across society as priorities, and set a goal of preparing an interim summary by year-end. It will flesh out remaining issues, including AI governance, from the start of the new year onward and use the work to revise related plans. Kihara asked ministers to define what government, industry, and daily life should look like in 2030; review relevant laws and systems; prepare principles and an action plan by year-end; develop regulations and institutional frameworks; and flesh out AX measures for public and quasi-public sectors.
Key points
- Prioritize work on a concrete vision for AX, AI and digital reform principles, and faster implementation of AX across society.
- Compile the priority items into an interim summary by year-end.
- The plan is to flesh out remaining issues, including stronger AI governance, promptly from the start of the new year onward and use the work to revise related plans.
Overview
On October 22, 2026, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara convened the first AI and Digital Reform Promotion Council at the Prime Minister's Office and discussed its operation.
At the meeting, ministers explained the status of work based on Prime Minister Takaichi's instructions at the Japan Growth Strategy Council on the first of this month, and experts also took part in the discussion. Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara said the council was being launched to strongly advance AX and DX across society in response to rapid advances in AI.
Impact
Minister Akazawa was asked to prepare by year-end an action plan with immediate measures to accelerate AX implementation, and promptly work to ease labor shortages and realize the growth strategy.
Details
Minister Furukawa was asked to define by year-end what government, industry, and daily life will look like when AX is achieved in 2030, and to review relevant laws and systems, including the AI Act, and strengthen AISI's functions to establish trustworthy AI.
Minister Furukawa will formulate by year-end principles for advancing structural reform in response to AX. Ministers Furukawa and Nakatsukasa were asked to work with the relevant ministers to establish cross-ministry regulations and systems that support the best mix of AI and people.
Legal and institutional reviews and reforms, including a re-examination by each ministry and agency of its review of analog regulations, will be carried out in coordination with Minister Yamashita.
In the action plan, Minister Akazawa will work with Minister Furukawa to consider concrete measures that build on Japan's strengths, including physical AI and AI robots.
Minister Furukawa will work with the relevant ministers to flesh out AX measures for public and quasi-public sectors, starting with autonomous driving. The relevant ministers were asked to accelerate work on effective measures to advance AX and DX ahead of the year-end interim summary.