Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) is set to significantly increase its budget for artificial intelligence and semiconductors to ¥1.23 trillion ($7.9 billion) by 2026. This represents a nearly fourfold increase from current levels. The budget includes ¥150 billion allocated to the Rapidus chip venture and ¥387.3 billion dedicated to AI models and infrastructure. This strategic investment aims to bolster Japan's domestic technology capabilities, positioning it to better compete with the U.S. and China in these critical sectors. The increased focus on AI and semiconductors could have ripple effects across the crypto and broader tech industries.