TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The percentage of people in Japan who had used generative artificial intelligence roughly doubled from the previous year to 58.8 percent in fiscal 2025, a white paper released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications showed Friday.

Some 30 percent of respondents to a survey reported using generative AI "almost daily," highlighting how the technology has permeated daily life, particularly among young people.

The 15 to 19 age group was newly added to the latest survey, but even for those aged 20 and older, the rate of generative AI use still showed a sharp rise to 52.2 percent.

The online survey in January and February was conducted not only in Japan but also in China, Germany and the United States. Usage of generative AI surpassed 70 percent in all three other countries, confirming that Japan still lags behind nations that are more active in AI development.

The survey in Japan received about 1,200 valid responses. By age group, usage reached 91.7 percent among those aged 15-19 and 78.2 percent among those between 20 and 29. The figure fell with age to 33.5 percent among those aged between 60 and 69.

Common uses of generative AI cited by respondents included information searches, document creation and asking for advice about everyday situations.

On precautions taken when using generative AI, with multiple answers allowed, the most common response at 38.2 percent was "using other methods to confirm if the content is accurate." Meanwhile, 24.6 percent said they took no particular precautions.

The survey also found that the percentage of respondents in Japan who said they "take intellectual property rights into consideration" was low compared with the corresponding figures in the other three countries.

In a survey targeting Japanese firms, 86.4 percent said they used generative AI in their business operations, jumping from 55.2 percent in the previous fiscal year.

The white paper determined that AI usage was progressing steadily in Japan. "It is essential to pursue healthy collaboration between humans and AI," the paper said, noting the need to take into account both the advantages and risks of the technology.