Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) released its 2025 Information and Communications White Paper this month, spotlighting the country’s evolving digital infrastructure, AI development trends, and growing governance challenges.
The report marks a pivotal year—25 years into the 21st century—framing digital technologies as an essential “social foundation.” It identifies an explosion in the use of smartphones, social media, and cloud services across age groups, including a sharp rise in digital engagement among Japan’s elderly population. Nearly 80% of seniors now use smartphones, and around 70% of those aged 60 and over use YouTube.
Meanwhile, AI continues to advance at breakneck speed. While Japan lags global leaders like the U.S. and China in adoption and development, domestic companies and institutions—including Fujitsu, CyberAgent, and Preferred Networks—have made significant strides in building Japanese-language large language models (LLMs). Still, Japan ranked low in a 2023 “AI vitality” index, and fewer than half of Japanese businesses have a formal policy to use generative AI, compared to higher rates in China and the U.S.
The white paper also raises red flags about Japan’s growing dependence on foreign digital platforms, the spread of misinformation online, and lagging trust in internet-based news. Internet traffic continues to surge, further stressing the nation’s digital infrastructure and cybersecurity systems.
MIC calls for a multipronged strategy that includes boosting AI literacy, strengthening digital resilience, and expanding local innovation—particularly to address labor shortages, regional disparities, and disaster response in Japan’s aging society.
With digital systems increasingly intertwined with national stability, officials warn that without strategic investments and safeguards, Japan risks falling behind in both technological capability and societal cohesion.
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