By Simon Sharwood
Publication Date: 2026-04-08 04:48:00
Japan’s Digital Transformation Minister Hisashi Matsumoto has said the country will become the easiest place in the world to develop AI apps thanks to legal changes that mean companies will no longer need to seek consent to use some personal data.
To achieve this, the Japanese government on Tuesday approved changes to the country’s data protection law that remove the requirement for opt-in consent before sharing personal data.
The changes only apply to data that poses a low risk of violating individual rights and when developers use it to produce statistics for research purposes. Health-related data will also fall under the changes if it can improve public health.
Facial scans are also fair game. The changes will require those who collect facial images to explain how they handle the data, but the ability to opt out will not be mandatory.