Japan sets new election rules for AI content on social media

Japan will require AI-generated images and videos used on social media during elections to be labelled under new rules, Internal Affairs Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said Tuesday.

The rules were approved by parliament on Monday and are due to take effect in March. They also bar internet users and platforms from spreading fake or distorted information about candidates.

Hayashi, whose ministry oversees elections and telecommunications, said the rules were extremely important for ensuring election fairness.

The measures follow allegations that AI-generated content was used to smear candidates in a 2025 leadership contest in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and in parliamentary elections in February.

Unlike European Union social media laws, Japanese authorities will not be able to impose penalties for non-compliance. Local media have questioned whether the rules will be effective as a result.

The Nikkei business daily said the lack of penalties may reflect Tokyo's wish to avoid friction like that seen between Washington and Brussels over fines under the EU's Digital Services Act.

Kyodo News said the Japanese government plans to set guidelines for platform operators on how to comply with the rules, along with annual disclosures on implementation.

Japanese government officials have said that, in drafting the rules, they needed to balance free speech with the integrity of democratic elections.