The Japanese government launches a $19 billion AI ambition: led by SoftBank, to prevent technology dependence.

[Chain News] The Japanese government and industry are set to make a big move together. Next spring, led by SoftBank, more than a dozen major Japanese companies will join forces to establish a new company, investing 3 trillion yen (approximately 19 billion USD) to create Japan's own large-scale foundational AI model. This is not just a joke — it gathers around 100 top experts selected from the industry, including engineers from SoftBank itself and developers from AI research hubs like Preferred Networks.

Why is the Japanese government in such a hurry? The core consideration can be summarized in two words: risk. They are well aware that AI has become a watershed for industrial competitiveness, directly relating to national security. If they continue to rely on foreign technology, they will be strategically vulnerable. In other words, the issue of technological sovereignty is forcing major global economies to take action. The launch of this project actually reflects the increasingly obvious pressure for “self-control” in the global AI competition—whoever can establish an independent technological system will hold the future discourse power of the industry.