JP | Incident Report
Regulatory Action
2026-01-09
Japan to submit bill easing consent rules for AI training on sensitive personal data
AI Model: Unspecified generative AI tool
I. Executive Summary
Japan’s government announced it will submit a bill to revise the personal information protection law to promote AI development.
According to the report, the bill would remove the need for consent when training AI on certain categories of sensitive personal information, including criminal and medical histories and race.
The government also signaled new fine mechanisms aimed at businesses engaged in malicious personal-data trading.
II. Key Facts
- The Japanese government said it will submit a bill to revise the personal information protection law to support AI development.
- The proposal would eliminate consent requirements for AI training using certain sensitive personal information (including criminal/medical histories and race).
- The government said it plans to submit the bill to the ordinary Diet session starting 23 January 2026.
- The proposal would also introduce a system to fine businesses for malicious operations such as trading large amounts of personal data.
III. Regulatory & Ethical Implications
If enacted, the proposal would materially reshape lawful-basis analysis and governance controls for AI training datasets under Japan’s privacy regime.
Privacy counsel and compliance advisers should monitor legislative text, reassess internal policies on sensitive-data handling for AI development, and prepare for enforcement exposure via the proposed fine framework—particularly where vendors or clients rely on large-scale model training.