Japan Aims to Promote IT, AI Use in Medical, Nursing Fields

June 5, 2018

Tokyo- A Japanese government panel on Monday compiled a draft of a growth strategy that calls for, among other things, promoting the development and use of information technologies and artificial intelligence in medical and nursing services, for which demand is seen growing in line with the rapid aging of society.

The draft proposes that an information network should be fully launched in fiscal 2020 to allow medical institutions to share data on individuals, including on health checks and medication.

It calls for the development and introduction of robots and sensors, as well as AI, for nursing care facilities, partly to help resolve manpower shortages facing the sector.

The draft, drawn up by the Council on Investments for the Future, headed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, also features a plan to submit to the Diet, Japan's parliament, by the end of this year legislation designed to simplify administrative procedures through online systems for individuals and companies.

The envisaged legislation is aimed at increasing the efficiency of administrative services by abolishing documents that currently need to be attached, reviewing identity confirmation methods and allowing online fee payments.

The government aims to start one-stop administrative procedures for nursing care services in fiscal 2018, which started in April, and for changes of registered addresses, death notices and inheritances in fiscal 2019.

It also plans to promptly set up a public-private council to promote the implementation of the growth strategy and draw up by summer next year measures that are needed for realizing its future vision by 2025. Jiji Press