Japan AI Guidelines for Business

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) first compiled the AI Guidelines for Business in April 2024 by integrating three earlier guidelines on research and development, utilization and governance. Version 1.2, the current edition identified by METI on March 31, 2026, updates the document for AI agents, physical AI and other technical and governance developments. Its Japanese text is authoritative; its English edition is explicitly a provisional translation. The guidelines give direction to three groups: AI developers who create systems or models, AI providers who integrate AI into services or products for users, and AI business users who employ AI in their business operations. A shared section sets ten principles. Seven concern work by individual business actors—human-centricity, safety, fairness, privacy, security, transparency and accountability—while education and literacy, fair competition and innovation call for cooperation with society. Separate sections discuss actions for developers, providers and users, supported by appendices, examples and checklists. The document takes a risk-based approach and expects organizations to choose measures appropriate to the system, purpose, context, affected parties and resources. Version 1.2 adds terminology for AI agents and physical AI and defines training and inference; it also revises risk descriptions and usability materials. It is guidance, not a statute, licensing regime or certification. Japan’s AI Promotion Act, promulgated in 2025 and fully in force by September 2025, establishes a government policy framework for promoting AI research, development and use. The Act and related policy are separate from the business guidelines. A particular contract, procurement rule or sector law may independently make a practice mandatory.