Digital / AI Adoption Subsidy

Digital / AI Adoption Subsidy is sponsored by SME Agency (METI) / SMRJ (Japan). This subsidy program aims to help Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) improve productivity by subsidizing the adoption of IT and AI tools.

Digitalization & AI Introduction Subsidy 2026 - OECD. AI AI has risks and all actors must be accountable. Data and privacy are primary policy issues for AI.

Managing the risks and benefits of generative AI. How AI can and will affect workers and working environments The OECD AI will be a synthetic measurement framework on Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (AI) To manage risks, governments must track and understand AI incidents and hazards. Governments are not only AI regulators and investors, but also developers and users.

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Programme on Work, Innovation, Productivity and Skills in AI. Map your AI policy landscape, identify priorities and explore policy examples Catalogue Tools & Metrics Explore tools & metrics to build and deploy AI systems that are trustworthy. AIM: AI Incidents and Hazards Monitor Gain valuable insights on global AI incidents and hazards.

The Hiroshima AI Reporting Framework Organisations developing advanced AI systems can participate by submitting a report. By sharing information, they will facilitate transparency and comparability of risk mitigation measures. The first IGO standard to promote innovative and trustworthy AI Browse OECD work related to AI across policy areas.

OECD and GPAI publications on AI, including the OECD AI Papers Series. Watch videos about AI policy the issues that matter most. AI is already a crucial part of most people’s daily routines.

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Overview National International All initiatives Digitalization & AI Introduction Subsidy 2026 https://it-shien. smrj. go.

jp/ A Japanese national grant programme — a renamed and AI-refocused evolution of the long-running IT Introduction Subsidy — providing SMEs and micro-enterprises with subsidies to purchase and adopt pre-registered IT tools, with AI-enabled tools now prioritised as a core adoption target.

The Digitalization & AI Introduction Subsidy 2026 is the 2026-cycle successor to the IT Introduction Subsidy (IT導入補助金), Japan's primary SME digitalisation grant since 2017. For the 2026 cycle, the programme was renamed to explicitly incorporate AI, reflecting a strategic shift by the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency (SMEA) and METI towards prioritising AI adoption.

The programme subsidises the purchase of pre-registered software and tools from a registry maintained by the secretariat (SMRJ), with AI-enabled tools explicitly prioritised and flagged with a dedicated AI filter for 2026. Applications are handled through accredited IT Introduction Support Businesses, who serve as mandatory implementation partners.

The programme offers four streams: a Standard Stream for business process digitalisation; an Invoice Stream for e-commerce and invoice-compliance tools; a Security Stream for cybersecurity services; and a Multi-Party Stream for consortia of 10 or more SMEs pursuing joint DX initiatives.

Grant amounts under the Standard Stream range from JPY 50,000 to JPY 4,500,000, covering 50% of costs for standard SMEs and up to 80% for micro-enterprises. A new wage growth requirement introduced for 2026 means repeat applicants must demonstrate a pay increase plan, with partial repayment triggered if targets are unmet. Multiple application rounds run throughout the year from 30 March 2026.

AI policy initiatives, programmes and projects Business grants/tax incentives Industry & entrepreneurship 1. 1 Inclusive growth, sustainable development and well-being 2. 2 Fostering an inclusive AI-enabling ecosystem 2.

3 Shaping an enabling interoperable governance and policy environment for AI Self-Declaration Form (Ex... 7th Basic Plan for the Promotion of Science and Technology Japan's national strategic framework for science, technology and innovation, covering the period FY2026–FY2030, which succeeds the 6th Basic Plan. Where the 6th Plan emphasised Society 5.

0 as a social vision, the 7th Plan introduces an "actionable science" philosophy and places greater weight on three axes: revitalisation of Japan's basic research capabilities, acceleration of innovation-driven economic growth and integration of science and technology policy with economic security objectives.

Country/Organisation: Japan Japan's core corporate R&D tax credit system providing a 6–14% tax credit on total R&D expenses, with enhanced rates of 12–17% for SMEs, an open innovation add-on of up to 10%, and a new 40% credit for strategic technologies including AI from FY2026. Country/Organisation: Japan AI Guidelines for Business Ver1. 2 AI Guidelines for Business (Ver1.

2), issued on 31 March 2026, provide unified guiding principles for AI governance in Japan. They aim to promote the safe and secure use of AI by helping business actors recognise risks and take voluntary countermeasures across the lifecycle, supporting both innovation and risk reduction through cooperation and a risk-based approach.

Country/Organisation: Japan A flexible subsidy route that supports bespoke equipment, system integration and custom automation/IT investments (including tailored AI systems). Country/Organisation: Japan Act on Promotion of Research and Development, and Utilisation of AI-related Technology The AI Act and the AI Basic Plan (established in Article 18, para.

(1) of the Act) constitute a government-led policy framework designed to promote AI innovation while mitigating risks. It is intended for citizens, business operators, and R&D institutes, aiming to ensure that AI benefits society and supports economic growth. It is necessary to address delays in domestic AI development and public concerns about AI-related risks, while balancing innovation promotion with effective risk mitigation.

Country/Organisation: Japan AI Bridging Cloud Infrastructure 3. 0 (ABCI 3. 0) ABCI 3.

0 is Japan's national AI computing infrastructure that provides access to supercomputing resources for developing sovereign AI capabilities. Operated by AIST and funded through Japan's METI, it delivers 6. 2 exaflops of computing power using 6,128 NVIDIA H200 GPUs.

The infrastructure supports industry, academia, and government in developing large language models and advancing generative AI research, with priority given to national research institutes, universities, and startups.

Country/Organisation: Japan Guideline for Japanese Government’s Procurements and Utilizations of Generative AI for the sake of Evolution and Innovation of Public Administration "Japan's GenAI Procurement & Utilization Guideline" was formulated in 2025 to establish rules for the procurement and use of generative AI across national government.

It creates an AI governance framework requiring each ministry to appoint a Chief AI Officer (CAIO), conduct risk assessments to each generative AI systems, and implement procurement based on specific check sheets. The guideline aims to accelerate adoption of generative AI in government while managing its risks.

Country/Organisation: Japan Japan’s Artificial Intelligence Basic Plan establishes the government’s policy framework for promoting the research, development and utilisation of AI-related technologies.

It sets out basic concepts, policy directions and priority measures, including accelerating AI utilisation, strengthening development capabilities, advancing governance, and promoting societal transformation, together with arrangements for implementation and coordination across government.

Country/Organisation: Japan Act on Promotion of Research, Development, and Utilization of Artificial Intelligence-Related Technologies Japan’s 2025 AI Act establishes the country’s first dedicated legal framework for artificial intelligence, focusing on promoting research, development, and utilisation rather than imposing strict regulation.

The law sets out basic principles and a national policy framework, including a “Basic AI Plan” and coordinated governance structures, while encouraging voluntary action by businesses. Country/Organisation: Japan Receive the OECD's artificial intelligence newsletter!