LDP to Invest 1 Trillion Yen in AI Development Over 5 Years, Train 3,000 Experts

by Shim Seongah

Published 22 Apr.2026 21:42(KST)

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is pushing for an investment of 1 trillion yen (approximately 930 billion won) over the next five years to foster the development of artificial intelligence (AI) for scientific and technological advancement.

According to a report by Kyodo News on April 22, the LDP has prepared a proposal containing these details.

The report states that the LDP also aims to nurture more than 3,000 AI experts over the next five years. This objective is set to be reflected in the revised "AI Basic Plan," which the Japanese government will update in the summer of this year.

The specific contents of the proposal are scheduled to be discussed at the LDP's "Digital Society Promotion Headquarters Meeting" the following day.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's Cabinet convened a Cabinet meeting in December of last year to establish the nation's first AI Basic Plan, outlining the direction of AI policy. At that time, the Japanese government pledged to capitalize on the nation's high-quality data and advanced communications environment, stating its intention to "mount a counteroffensive in AI innovation and become the world's leading country in AI development and utilization."

The LDP's proposal emphasizes that "it is most crucial to utilize world-leading AI technology in key infrastructure sectors, such as national defense."

The proposal also points out the necessity of "hosting an 'AI Summit' in Japan in 2028."

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Takaichi announced on her X account (formerly Twitter) on this day that she held the fourth Japan Growth Strategy Meeting, focusing on discussions regarding the expansion of the discretionary labor system, reforms to labor-related systems, and the promotion of startups, as well as addressing challenges in eight key areas.