Japan exhibits strong public confidence in AI as a solution to labor shortages, yet workplace adoption remains shallow. While government and corporations push for integration, creators voice concerns over copyrights and income. Experts highlight skill gaps as key barriers.
According to The Japan Times on March 2, 2026, Japan is making significant investments in AI, but few workers have utilized it. In 2016, Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki reacted to an AI-generated animation demo by saying, “I am utterly disgusted,” calling it “an insult to life itself.” This remark became a rallying cry for AI skeptics in art.
Following OpenAI's ChatGPT update enabling image generation from text prompts, Ghibli-style images flooded social media, sparking copyright debates. On X, users warned that “AI stealing the style of Studio Ghibli will be the last straw for many people who were on the fence about copyright.” Japan's Copyright Act Article 30-4 permits use of works for information analysis, allowing AI training on copyrighted material without permission.
Mitsuru Yaku, a manga creator and honorary chairman of the Freelance League of Japan, stated, “What I would look forward to is if AI started creating manga in my style, and then I could collect a usage fee or ideation fee from those users.” The league prioritizes safeguards to prevent unauthorized use in training datasets.
Public sentiment leans toward AI's promise, with a Nomura Research Institute survey showing twice as many Japanese expressing high expectations as those who do not. University of Tokyo's Hiromi Yokoyama noted that Japanese respondents answered more AI knowledge questions correctly than those from the U.S. and Germany. University of Amsterdam's Steven Pickering linked Japan's higher AI trust compared to the U.K. to confidence in institutions, viewing AI as a structural adjustment to labor shortages projected at 11 million workers by 2040.
The government has allocated ¥340 billion in subsidies for digital transformation and partnered with OpenAI to develop “Gennai,” an internal tool for employees. SoftBank announced $3 billion annual spending on OpenAI technology across subsidiaries.
Despite this, an OECD survey reveals only 8.4% of employees use AI, with 6.4% using generative AI—ranging from 22.9% in information and communications to 4.1% in accommodations and food services. Over 60% of companies cite AI talent shortages as obstacles, and nearly 50% note poor understanding. Takahiro Toda, co-author, attributed barriers to risk caution and resource lacks.
A Freelance League survey found 80% of creators facing professional difficulties from AI, with 10% reporting income declines. Director Masayuki Takada said, “The psychological safety of the creator community has been eroded by generative AI.” Daiwa Institute research projects up to 57% job replacement risk in insurance and finance. Economist Yukio Noguchi warned AI could exacerbate inequality.
OECD's Stijn Broecke described a Catch-22: AI could address skill shortages from an aging workforce, but adoption lags due to those shortages. Japan balances AI optimism with limited implementation experience.
