Japan’s digital minister warns country could become an “AI colony”

Japan’s digital minister Hisashi Matsumoto warned that the country risks becoming an “AI colony” if it cannot close its widening gap in AI development. He used the phrase to defend a controversial bill that would allow AI developers to use medical and criminal records without individual consent, arguing that Japan needs access to high quality data to remain competitive. Critics counter that weakening consent protections for sensitive information poses serious privacy risks, echoing debates seen in Europe. The bill is part of a broader government push that includes deploying the Gennai AI platform across 39 agencies, but whether the public accepts the trade off between autonomy and privacy remains uncertain.

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