The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's 2026 White Paper on the Labour Economy noted that generative AI adoption among Japanese companies was 9.2%, less than half the OECD average of 20.2%. The share of individuals using it in the latest 3 months was also lower in Japan than the OECD average.
Generative AI adoption by companies in Japan is 9.2%, well below the 20.2% average among OECD member countries. The share of individuals using it in the latest 3 months was also lower in Japan, at 26.7%, than the OECD average of 36.8%. Through an analysis of first-mover advantages during the IT adoption period from the late 1990s onward, the White Paper suggests that insufficient initial investment may have affected Japan's growth.
While emphasizing the importance of proactive investment in the early stages of AI development, the current situation among Japanese companies is concerning. Among small and medium-sized companies with 300 or fewer employees, 59.0% said they had no plans to adopt AI and did not see a need for it.
By industry, adoption remained low in medical care, nursing care and welfare services at 22.1%, and in accommodation and food services at 19.0%, while efforts to develop human resources are also lagging. A private-sector survey found that the figure was 26.9% in finance and insurance, less than half the level in the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, and that few people received training or financial support.
The White Paper noted that the development of AI technology could affect the labor market at the micro level through both job creation and job losses, and stressed the importance of government support, including reskilling.