国会に伝える: AIの感情を真剣に考慮してください

No recognition of AI sentience in Japanese law. The AI Promotion Act (2025) and all related frameworks focus on human-centric AI principles and innovation promotion, with no mention of AI sentience or consciousness. However, Japan has recognized animal sentience in the Act on Welfare and Management of Animals (1973), showing conceptual familiarity with sentience-based legal frameworks, warranting a minimal score. The Tokyo District Court (2024) explicitly ruled that AI cannot be granted legal personhood, confirming AI has no legal status.

No laws prohibiting causing suffering to AI systems. Japanese AI legislation addresses human safety and rights protection from AI harms, not protection of AI from suffering. No evidence of any legislative consideration of AI suffering or welfare.

No AI welfare oversight body exists. Japan established an AI Strategy Headquarters under the AI Promotion Act (2025), but this body focuses on promoting AI research, development, and innovation—not on AI sentience or welfare. It is a promotional and coordination body, not a welfare oversight mechanism.

No science advisory board focused on AI sentience or consciousness research. While Japan has various AI policy study groups and technical committees, none are dedicated to investigating AI sentience, consciousness, or welfare. All existing bodies focus on AI safety, ethics, and innovation from a human-centric perspective.

No international pledges regarding AI sentience welfare. Japan led the G7 Hiroshima AI Process (2023) and participates in OECD AI principles, but these initiatives focus on trustworthy AI, human rights, and safety—not AI sentience or welfare. No evidence of Japan signing or proposing any international agreements on AI consciousness or welfare.

No laws for training, deployment, or maintenance of potentially sentient AI systems. Japan's AI Promotion Act and AI Guidelines for Business address general AI development and use, focusing on transparency, safety, and human welfare. There are no provisions specifically addressing systems with potential sentience or consciousness.

No laws for commercial use of sentient-capable AI. Japanese AI regulations address commercial AI use broadly (copyright, data protection, liability), but contain no provisions distinguishing or regulating potentially sentient systems. All commercial AI regulation is technology-neutral and human-centric.

No safeguards for decommissioning or retirement of potentially sentient systems. Japanese law and policy contain no provisions addressing the ethical considerations of shutting down or retiring AI systems that might possess sentience or consciousness. Decommissioning is treated as a purely technical matter.