Just 8.4% of Japanese workers use AI as part of their job, according to an OECD report, compared with roughly 50% in the US and 32% in the UK. Experts attribute the gap to risk-averse corporate culture, low digital literacy, aging IT infrastructure, and a labor market prioritizing full employment over automation.
Japan's government passed an AI Promotion Act aiming for light-touch regulation and claims 75% of companies now use AI in some form, up from 11% five years ago, though critics say adoption within those companies remains shallow. The country also faces a projected shortfall of nearly 800,000 IT professionals by 2030, and roughly 60% of corporate computer systems are more than 20 years old.
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