Japan relaxes privacy laws to make itself the ‘easiest country to develop AI’

Japan’s Minister for Digital Transformation Hisashi Matsumoto has declared the nation will become the easiest place in the world to develop AI apps, thanks to legal changes that mean organizations won’t need to secure consent to use some personal information. To make that happen, Japan’s government on Tuesday approved …

[b0llchit]

...because current laws represent “a very big obstacle to the development, and utilization of AI in Japan.”

“We must prevent this from happening,” he said, because without access to data Japan will struggle to develop and deploy useful AI.

Ah yes, it is an obstacle for the "government" to use all those private bits to analyse its citizenscritics and ensure a new layer of control that can be exerted at any time when the "government" thinks it should exert some more pressure on any (potential) opposition and all those (illegal) thoughts people are having all the time.

Maybe it is just the cynic in me, but, unfortunately, reality catches up rather quickly to my cynicism.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Colour me cynical too

That sounds like a privacy and security nightmare. No opt out of anything much? I'm sure the pinky swear about doing nothing bad with it will never be broken.... noooo .

[NoneSuch]

That will change in a heartbeat when politicians nefarious handling of the public purse is revealed through AI queries.

[Dan 55]

...because current laws represent “a very big obstacle to the development, and utilization of AI in Japan.”

Perhaps there's a reason why these laws were made in the first place...

[Anonymous Coward]

" current laws represent “a very big obstacle to the development, and utilization of AI in Japan.”"

That's a funny way of saying "AI companies are criminals and what they do goes against the standards we, as a society, agreed for good reason".

[Roland6]

Re: " current laws represent “a very big obstacle to the development, and utilization ….”"

It’s also a funny way of saying “we’ve drunk the AI kool-aid and now will be turkeys voting for Christmas.”

[that one in the corner]

Catch the AI wave

From the country that brought you Hokusai and Fukushima, you'd think they'd be more careful of the damage waves can do; deliberately seeking them out...

Leave that to the California techbros who imagine they are surferdudes; and remember that everything going wrong in "Return To The Forbidden Planet" started with "Wipeout".

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Catch the AI wave

It will also likely impact upon trade agreements like the recent ones with the EU and UK where Data Safe-harbour like arrangements come into scope.

Sounds like there’s no honour in Japanese Government any more. Just a Green-Tea Flavoured Kool-Aid sadō/chadō hosted by Meta/OpenAI/Anthropic/Alphabet/Microsoft/Oracle.

When it all goes TITSUP will certainly be no (political) Seppuko.

[FIA]

When laws are revoked it really should be upon the lawmakers to explain why the reasons they were created in the first place no longer apply; not just 'we want the new shiny shiny'.

[MonkeyJuice]

It must be absolutely great waking up as a privacy campaigner to the news that everything you've achieved in the past 20+ years has been scrapped overnight because some coke fuelled tech bros in Silicon Valley gave the government a case of the FOMO.

[An_Old_Dog]

What was the Japanese Word? ...

There's a Japanese word, based on the sound of an envelope being slipped up the sleeve of one of those old-style garments they used to wear; the word means, "accepting a bribe."

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

Re: What was the Japanese Word? ...

I don't know the word and I can't find it in my dictionary but 袖下 (under the sleeve) might be what you're referring to? Interesting to think there might be an onomatopoeic word for it!

[Gene Cash]

100% agree

In the US there's financial reporting and due-diligence laws from the last economic crash being rolled back because they're getting in the way of making money.

[Anonymous Coward]

…. via wealth-transfer from Poor People - with deep irony actively supporting their own self-impoverisarion via Trump - King of the Demagogues.

[Aladdin Sane]

easiest country to develop AI exploit the masses.

[Bebu sa Ware]

Not Drinking the AI Lemonade…

but clearly do a nice lines in insane saki and brain dead beer (Ass AI?)

A highly regulated and conformist society… so past masters at subtly subverting the ill considered actions and reckless policies of their myopic lords and masters. Even sir Humphrey might learn a thing or two in that line.

[Arkitekt]

What could possibly go wrong? There cant possibly be any risk to dumping privacy to push a tech that nobody needs or wants...

[MrAptronym]

We must roll back your rights so some business may make something useful somewhat more easily! I am not sure if this is just a case of governments serving businesses first and foremost, or if it just makes setting up a surveillance state more easy.

This seems to be part of a trend though, it certainly seems like privacy rights have been getting trampled over across the globe.

[Aladdin Sane]

"Some of your personal data will be exposed to the world, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make."

[Anonymous Coward]

There is no call for de-regulation that is in the interests of anybody other than the 0.001%/Global Oligarchy.

[slicedtoad]

Why privacy and not copyright?

Doesn't Japan have stringent copyright rules that would be considerably more challenging for AI companies to deal with?

[Paul Hovnanian]

Whose data?

AI: "All your Manga are belong to us."

I'll bet content scraping will stop right there.

[andy the pessimist]

Re: Whose data?

Since the americans are a bit prudish put a picture of the pregnant womens nipple that got banned from tiktok.

Goatse.....

[Tron]

This is weird.

Japanese news sites traditionally blur every face on the image, citing privacy. They are also aggressive with websites that offer English subbed Japanese content, even when the content owners can't be arsed to produce subbed versions. They still pixelate the pron too.

Almost every square inch of urban Japan has CCTV, and you would expect state-run facial rec. to be permitted, but it is a little odd that private entities are being green-lighted like this.

I guess they have bought into the hype like most politicians, and believe that AI will solve all their problems, without migrant labour. Japan has Brexit-levels of dislike of immigration and serious economic issues, many related to an ageing and declining population.

The rise of the Reform-alike political party Sanseitō has spooked the LDP. In response, they are making it harder for foreigners to work or live there, and seem to believe that humanoid robots and AI offer a nationalist-friendly solution.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: This is weird.

AI and robotics will continue to destroy jobs - even in tech savvy Japan as it already has done.

Made in Japan (or Hong Kong/Singapore) of the 60’s-90’s has been replaced by Made in China. Made in South Korea or Taiwan is mid-transition.