Japan's lower house passes AI bill as nation targets Western investment

TOKYO -- Lawmakers in Japan's lower house has passed the country's first regulatory bill for artificial intelligence on in an attempt to position the nation as the "most AI-friendly country in the world."

The government hopes that the bill, which is expected to pass swiftly in the ruling coalition-controlled upper house after making it through the lower house on Thursday, will help attract AI-related investment. U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff threats and America's push for tech dominance could, however, complicate those efforts.