Japan’s blend of manufacturing prowess, robotics leadership, and cutting-edge research has positioned it at the forefront of the global artificial intelligence revolution. By 2025, Japanese AI companies will reshape local industries. They will affect many sectors around the world. This includes autonomous mobility, industrial automation, healthcare, and financial technology. Their investment in research, partnerships with top tech firms, and AI progress will transform business operations, city functions, and everyday life. Here are the top ten AI companies in Japan. They are leading a big change in technology. We’ll explore their innovations, recent wins, and their impact on the global tech scene.
1. SoftBank Group
SoftBank Group is known for its bold investments in new tech. Its AI projects show this vision well. In February 2025, SoftBank partnered with OpenAI. SoftBank launched SB OpenAI Japan, a 50:50 joint venture for ‘Advanced Enterprise AI’ named ‘Cristal intelligence.’ They will invest three billion dollars each year. This funding will help deploy AI agents in its subsidiaries like Arm and PayPay. These agents will automate tasks from code interpretation to strategic marketing planning. SoftBank aims high, reaching beyond Japan. It’s a founding partner in the US$ 500-billion Project Stargate. This project teams up with OpenAI, Oracle, and Abu Dhabi’s MGX. They will build next-generation AI infrastructure in the U.S. and maybe in Europe. SoftBank plays a key role in creating data centers for future AI applications. These investments have boosted SoftBank’s reputation. Now, it’s seen as a tech innovator and a leader in infrastructure.
2. Hitachi:
Hitachi has changed a lot in the last ten years. It shifted from a wide-ranging industrial company to a digital leader. Now, it focuses on AI and the Internet of Things. Hitachi’s Lumada platform combines data analytics, edge computing, and AI apps. It plays a key role in the company’s strategy. This platform helped triple Hitachi’s market value to over US$ 100 billion by early 2025. Hitachi is teaming up with companies like Singtel. They will launch the Paragon industrial platform at the Santa Clara R&D facility. This effort provides manufacturers worldwide with AI tools. These tools help with quality assurance, predictive maintenance, and workplace safety. These advancements cut costs and downtime. They also set new standards for smart factories. This fuels global demand for Hitachi’s industrial AI solutions.
3. Preferred Networks
Preferred Networks excels in deep learning. It turns academic research into real products. The Tokyo startup uses its own neural network designs for various challenges. These include self-driving car navigation and precision oncology. Preferred Robotics, a subsidiary, is known for HAPiiBOT. This floor-cleaning robot works great in tough spots, like hospitals and logistics centers. Preferred Computational Chemistry, in partnership with ENEOS, recently launched Matlantis. This AI-powered simulator helps find new battery materials and catalysts faster. Preferred Networks shows how Japanese AI companies connect theory to practice. They make advances in areas like energy storage and healthcare diagnostics.
Also Read: How Hokkaido Is Emerging as Japan’s Next Big Semiconductor and Tech Hub
4. Toyota
Toyota has always led in robotics and automation. In 2025, its AI goals have sped up even more. The company’s ‘O-Beya’ initiative uses generative AI agents. This helps make vehicle design faster. It can cut development cycles by up to 30%. Toyota teamed up with Nippon Telegraph & Telephone (NTT). They will invest 500 billion yen, or about US$ 3.27 billion. This partnership aims to create a mobility AI platform to eliminate traffic accidents. This collaboration wants to combine large amounts of driving data into one system. This system will assist with advanced driver help. It aims to prepare for fully autonomous vehicles by 2028, as reported by Reuters. Toyota is building Woven City, a 175-acre living lab at the base of Mount Fuji. Here, they will test AI, robotics, and renewable energy in real-world conditions. The city will have up to 2,000 residents. Woven City shows Toyota’s idea for future urban living and green transportation.
5. Sakana AI,
Sakana AI, founded in 2023, is transforming model development through ‘AI breeding.’ This means it blends and evolves existing models. As a result, Sakana AI creates new architectures for specific problems automatically. This evolutionary method speeds up making high-performance models. These models are useful for speech recognition, autonomous drones, and drug discovery. Sakana AI has raised US$ 200 million from Mitsubishi UFJ and Nvidia. They are working on the ‘AI Scientist.’ This system can make hypotheses, run computer-based experiments, and speed up science discovery. AI Scientist could transform research workflows in chemistry, biology, and materials science if successful. This would greatly cut down the time and cost of innovation.
6. Fujitsu
Fujitsu’s portfolio includes cloud-native AI services for finance, telecommunications, and the public sector. It also offers specialized applications in healthcare. In 2025, Fujitsu launched an AI-driven genomics platform. It analyzes cancer samples to suggest personalized treatments. The company teamed up with top medical centers in Japan and Europe. Fujitsu’s GreenLake for AI provides scalable GPU clusters. These clusters are optimized for popular deep-learning frameworks. This setup lets businesses build and deploy custom models whenever they need. Fujitsu blends AI skills with a focus on services. This way, even traditional industries can use machine learning effectively.
7. Digital Wallet Group
Digital Wallet Group stands out as a fintech innovator. It combines AI with financial services. This helps solve challenges in cross-border payments. Smiles Mobile Remittance is Japan’s largest network, with over 77,000 ATMs. It uses AI to set foreign exchange rates and spot fraud instantly. In 2025, the company launched AI credit scoring models. These models analyze mobile transaction data. This helps underbanked people in Southeast Asia and Latin America gain financial access. Digital Wallet’s cloud CRM uses sentiment analysis and customer-journey mapping. This helps businesses personalize marketing on a large scale. It sets a standard for AI adoption in finance.
8. Monoya
Monoya started in late 2024. Its mission is to break down trade barriers using AI for sourcing and logistics. Monoya Connect is their main product. It uses natural language processing and machine learning. This helps match overseas buyers with Japanese suppliers of artisanal goods. It also navigates complex tariffs and language barriers. Monoya uses real-time customs data and predictive analytics. This helps reduce delivery times by up to 40% and lowers shipping costs by about the same amount. Monoya launched during a time of rising U.S. tariffs on Japanese imports. Its platform has already enabled hundreds of cross-border transactions. This shows how AI can refresh traditional industries and open new markets.
9. ABEJA
ABEJA stands out in retail and manufacturing. It offers complete AI solutions that improve operations. ABEJA Insight gathers video feeds, sensor data, and transaction records. It creates useful insights about inventory levels, customer behavior, and equipment health. In retail, ABEJA’s computer-vision models spot product placement problems and shopper bottlenecks. This leads to a 15% increase in sales for big department stores. ABEJA’s predictive maintenance algorithms reduce unplanned downtime by over 20% in automotive and electronics factories. ABEJA shows how AI turns raw data into clear business value. This helps boost efficiency and growth in many industries.
10. Mujin
Mujin ranks among Japan’s top ten. It focuses on robotic automation for warehouses and logistics centers. MujinController software lets industrial robots do flexible pick-and-place tasks. It works without custom programming. This cuts down setup times significantly. Mujin has over US$ 176 million in funding. Its robotics solutions are used in large e-commerce and car distribution centers worldwide. These solutions can increase throughput by as much as 50%.
These ten companies show the wide range and strength of Japan’s AI scene in 2025. Japanese firms are leading global innovations. They work on key projects like SoftBank’s Stargate. They also focus on specialized areas such as robotics, fintech, and healthcare. Japan succeeds due to its strong manufacturing, solid research, and global partnerships. AI is changing industries and societies. These companies are ready to lead the next wave of tech progress. They will help keep Japan a key center for global AI innovation for years ahead.
