Masaaki Taira, Member of the House of Representatives and Minister of Digital Affairs

2025.10.01

Aim to be a "digital advanced nation"!!
Let's break through analog Japan's limitations and become the world's most AI-friendly country!

■ Profile
Digital Administrative and Financial Reform Officer, Administrative Reform Officer, National Civil Service System
Minister in charge of Cybersecurity and Minister of State for Special Missions, Cabinet Office
He graduated from Waseda University's Faculty of Law in 1989. In 1996, he became the third-generation president of a wholesale fruit and vegetable market in Ota. After serving as chairman of the Tokyo Junior Chamber, he was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2005 and has been re-elected for seven consecutive terms. He has held positions such as Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Vice-Minister of the Cabinet Office, Chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party's AIPT/web3PT/Fusion Energy PT, and Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party's New Capitalism Implementation Headquarters, and is currently serving as Minister for Digital Transformation.

Representative Masaaki Taira, who transitioned from business executive to politician and now serves as Minister of Digital Affairs, has been at the forefront of promoting the digitalization of politics and the nation's DX (Digital Transformation) initiatives amidst national crises such as the financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. He shared his thoughts on Japan's current situation in the age of AI, along with his passionate vision for the young people who will shape the future, reflecting on his journey so far.

■ Aiming to become a politician after working as a business executive.

After graduating from Waseda University's Faculty of Law, I became involved in managing the family business. My perspective changed when I experienced the financial crisis. When faced with a massive wave that I couldn't overcome on my own, I strongly felt that only the power of politics could resolve it.
Around the same time, my involvement with politics increased when I joined the Junior Chamber International, a group of young business leaders. Elections at that time lacked policy debates, and there were no televised debates. It was difficult to choose a candidate based solely on posters and pamphlets, and I felt the need for "public debates" where people could directly judge the candidates' abilities and personalities.
In 2000, a system of open recruitment was introduced by each political party, and as the chairman of the Ota Ward Committee of the Tokyo Junior Chamber, I organized the first public debate and served as the coordinator. Subsequently, in 2003, as the president of the Tokyo Junior Chamber, I conducted public debates in all 17 single-member constituencies across the 23 wards of Tokyo, and was able to establish this practice nationwide.
Through numerous discussions with candidates in public debates, I came to feel that "many politicians are former bureaucrats or hereditary politicians, lacking the business acumen of the private sector." As someone with a strong business background, I wanted to contribute to society through politics. This feeling grew stronger, and in 2005 I applied through the public selection system. After participating in a public debate in Tokyo's 4th district, I was elected for the first time as an officially endorsed candidate of the Liberal Democratic Party.

■ Initiatives as Minister of Digital Affairs

While the Junior Chamber International (JCI) had been promoting paperless meetings using computers since around 2000, an analog-centric culture still persisted throughout Japan, especially in the political sphere. The COVID-19 pandemic completely changed the situation. Unlike the Spanish flu 100 years ago, many people owned smartphones, and we were living in an era where technologies such as GPS, Bluetooth, big data, and AI were available.
However, digitalization presented many challenges. Japanese corporate culture relies on individual abilities and teamwork, and the standardization and manualization of operations, which are essential for digitalization, had not progressed.
As Vice Minister in charge of Digital Affairs, I put forward four proposals to digitize Japan: "promotion of My Number cards," "cloud computing as a principle and implementation," "standardization of regulations," and "establishment of a government office to serve as the command center for digitalization," and worked to realize them. Not only have I realized these proposals, but I am still striving to digitize Japan as a whole.

■Japan's AI policy and its problems

While there are concerns about a shortage of AI talent by 2030, I believe that anyone can become an AI professional if learning opportunities are expanded. We need an educational environment like the Matsuo Lab, led by Professor Yutaka Matsuo of the University of Tokyo, where there are no limits on the number of students and anyone can learn.
There is a particular shortage of personnel in AI development and cybersecurity. Going forward, the government must consider recruiting highly skilled cyber professionals. To achieve this, it is necessary to introduce a system called a "revolving door," which allows for the fluid movement of talent between the private sector and the government, as quickly as possible to secure the necessary personnel.
Furthermore, following the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, the party established a project team in January of the following year to focus on the evolution and practice of AI. Through this team, we were able to identify challenges such as securing GPUs essential for generative AI, developing a large-scale language model (LLM) strong in Japanese domestically, preparing datasets to address bias issues with AI developed overseas, improving the learning environment, and strengthening data centers.
Regarding global trends in AI, Europe is emphasizing regulation, while in the United States, Big Tech companies have expressed their intention to voluntarily share information with the government about the evolution and risks of AI. On the other hand, Japan is not strictly defining the scope of AI activities through legislation, but rather is applying existing laws to create a system for sharing information with Big Tech companies on high-risk areas, and managing the rest through guidelines.
While protecting intellectual property rights and copyrights in AI learning is naturally necessary, Japan's policy of addressing issues only when the generated output infringes on copyright law, rather than regulating the learning process itself, has created an environment conducive to AI learning and implementation, making it "the most AI-friendly country in the world."
Furthermore, in Japan, where the labor shortage is severe, the active use of AI is essential. Due to its stability and credibility as a democratic nation, as well as geopolitical issues, Japan is attracting investment as Asia's AI center.
As minister, I am working to improve the legal framework for cybersecurity and data utilization, which have been major challenges in attracting foreign investment. I am also working with relevant ministries to resolve the remaining power supply issues.

■Message to students

Japan is a country full of opportunities. Take on challenges proactively, and even if you fail, you can always try again. You won't learn anything if you do it reluctantly. Please find something you love and give it a try.
Also, with so many information sources available these days, make sure you understand what interests you. And don't be satisfied with just one area of expertise; aim to be unique by developing and combining two or more strengths. I recommend having at least two main areas of focus.

Student Newspaper Special Issue, October 2026, AI Feature: Hayato Kanemaru, 10st Year Student, Tokyo University of Science

Hayato Kanemaru (1st year, Tokyo University of Science) / Yusaki Matsuzaka (4th year, Keio University) / Rurika Abe (2nd year, Showa Women's University)