Japan to Spend $2 Billion on AI, Semiconductors in Extra Budget

Japan is set to spend roughly ¥252.5 billion ($1.6 billion) in an extra budget to further support developments of artificial intelligence and semiconductors.

The sum is much smaller than the about ¥1.5 trillion allocation in last year’s supplementary budget, as the government is expected to start securing most of the additional funding for those sectors in regular budgets going forward, according to a ruling party lawmaker and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. That’s expected to provide more stable funding to the sectors.