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Japan’s Cabinet sets up an AI and Digital Reform Promotion Council chaired by the Chief Cabinet Secretary

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Source: Digital Agency, Japan

A Cabinet decision of 20 October 2026 establishes the AI and Digital Reform Promotion Council to drive what the government calls AX and DX, social change through AI and digital technology, on the condition that AI risks are minimised. The council is to review economic and social regulation and operating rules, examine AI and digital infrastructure, and push implementation across government. The Chief Cabinet Secretary and the Minister for AI and Digital Reform chair it; four vice-chairs include the ministers for AX implementation, regulatory reform, AI strategy and digital affairs, and the members include the ministers of internal affairs, finance and economy, trade and industry. The chair named ten outside members the same day, among them Hiroaki Kitano of Sony CSR, Yutaka Matsuo of the University of Tokyo, the governor of Yamaguchi and the mayor of Yamagata. The Digital Agency runs its secretariat. The decision abolishes the Digital Administrative and Fiscal Reform Council of 6 October 2023 and transfers its work.

Why it matters

Japan now has one cabinet-level body for AI and digital reform with a mandate to rewrite regulation and operating rules across the economy, replacing the 2023 digital reform council.

When
20 Oct 2026
ID
WTA-N-2026-0342
Where
Japan
Who
Cabinet of Japan, Digital Agency; Hiroaki Kitano, Yutaka Matsuo
Rules involved

Summary by wheresthe.ai, from Digital Agency, Japan. Checked against the source on 20 Oct 2026.

Read the original at Digital Agency, Japan

Source copy: download the page as saved on 20 Oct 2026 (PDF). Documents the source offers: document 1 (PDF), document 2 (PDF), document 3 (PDF). Also held by the Internet Archive.

Next stop on this Storyline: Led toJapan’s new AI reform council meets and puts a review of the AI Act on its agenda

Cite this story

WTA-N-2026-0342: “Japan’s Cabinet sets up an AI and Digital Reform Promotion Council chaired by the Chief Cabinet Secretary.” wheresthe.ai, 20 Oct 2026. https://wheresthe.ai/d/jp-cabinet-ai-digital-reform-promotion-council-2026-10/ (source: Digital Agency, Japan).

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