[Japan Approves Legal Amendment: Sensitive Personal Information Allowed for AI and Statistical Analysis] According to a report by Jinse Finance, Japan's parliament on Friday passed a revised version of the *Personal Information Protection Act*, allowing companies to use sensitive information without individual consent. This move aims to promote the development of Japan's artificial intelligence (AI) industry. The amendment, approved by the House of Councillors, highlights a challenge: how to ensure privacy protection while enabling developers to access the vast amounts of data needed for AI development. Information collected through social media and other platforms for purposes such as AI or statistical analysis may include sensitive content such as race, medical records, and criminal records, but such data must not identify specific individuals. The revised law introduces a penalty mechanism for data misuse. Companies that improperly obtain or use the personal information of more than 1,000 individuals will face fines equivalent to the profits gained from using such information. The Japanese government is striving to advance domestic AI development, and the business community has increasingly called for the relaxation of data protection regulations. Japan's parliament also passed related legislation allowing the government to provide data to private companies and research institutions for the development of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and autonomous driving. (*Kyodo News*)