Japan Tests AI Tool for Drafting Answers to Parliament

Japan's Digital Agency launched a prototype generative AI tool that helps government employees prepare draft answers to questions from the Diet, it said in an announcement. The Diet Answer Support AI is available to about 180,000 government employees through the Government AI GENAI platform.

The tool can retrieve and organize previous answers and supporting documents, generate drafts, and assist with content checks. The agency developed the prototype with feedback from 102 experienced officials across 16 ministries and agencies.

Officials will test the prototype during the 222nd Extraordinary Session of the Diet. The agency plans a broader rollout during the ordinary Diet session beginning next January, following changes based on test results and user feedback.

Officials must verify AI output against source documents and check its accuracy, consistency with government policy, and wording. Policy decisions, official government positions, and final answers will remain the responsibility of government officials.