Minerva Policy Webinar #01: Japan’s (Advanced) Artificial Intelligence Systems – Policies, Support, and Collaboration Opportunities with the EU

We are at an inflection point. AI is no longer a distant frontier - it is reshaping how societies govern, produce, move, and age. For Japan, a country known for its technological sophistication and institutional stability, this is a moment to shape the future. At its core, Japan’s approach is not driven by acceleration, but by alignment - designing AI around long-term public goals rather than commercial disruption. Through the G7 Hiroshima AI Process, the Council of Europe AI Convention, and its growing collaboration with the European Union, Japan is not only advancing its own agenda but contributing to the formation of shared governance norms for democratic, trustworthy AI. What emerges from Japan may serve as a blueprint for how advanced societies embed ethics, resilience, and purpose into intelligent systems.

This Minerva policy webinar aimed at EU companies and researchers interested in understanding current Japanese AI policy and practices and potential opportunities for collaboration will present the key findings from the EU-Japan Centre’s recently published policy report, which explored Japan’s approach to governing advanced AI systems across five interconnected dimensions: national policy, ethical direction, institutional coordination, collaboration with the EU, and global positioning.

Event structure 

The webinar will be in four parts:

1. Setting the Scene - Government policy, Advanced AI Systems and Scenarios for the Future: Gent Imeraj will explain how Japan is building 'alignment-driven AI', not 'acceleration-driven AI' and how EU–Japan collaboration could redefine AI beyond the U.S.- China binary. He will introduce Japan's programmes for advanced AI (Moonshot, SIP, PRISM) and EU-Japan collaboration opportunities.

2. Government & Institutional Landscape of AI in Japan: Lorenz Granrath will explain how 'Society 5.0' could be the world’s first real testbed for human-centred AI and how AI is beyond technical - it is cultural. He will explain the role that Japan’s AI strategy councils, ministries, industry giants and SMEs play in AI deployment & talent acquisition.

3. AI in Society: Public Services, Challenges, and Human Dimensions: Momoko Amemiya will explain how education is Japan’s quiet AI revolution; public trust is the currency of AI adoption; Japan is stress-testing AI on the toughest societal problems first: aging, inequality, and climate. She will outline how Japan uses AI in public services, public perceptions, and key challenges around ageing, healthcare, sustainability, finance, and education.

4. Q & A: During the final part of the webinar, the reports' authors will react to questions.

Event speakers

• Gent Imeraj holds a PhD in AI applied in medical imaging (MEXT scholar), where he focuses on physics-inspired and multimodal machine learning. He brings an interdisciplinary perspective, connecting advanced AI with social impact and international collaboration.
• Lorenz Granrath studied industrial engineering at Karlsruhe University and a doctorate at Sankt Gallen University including one year at Tokyo University. In 2001, he set up Fraunhofer's Representative Office in Japan and initiated R&D projects for major Japanese companies, in 2014 Innovation Coordinator for AIST, in 2021 Project Professor at Tohoku University and has been an advisor on R&D and industry since 2022.
• Momoko Amemiya is a journalist and editor in Japan’s media industry. She has edited more than 60 business books, including best-sellers on sustainability on finance, and contributed to outlets such as Forbes Japan, Nikkei, and Business Insider. 
   
• Moderator: Sofia Smerzi, Business Support Coordinator, EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation

Deliverables