Emotional AI, Ethics, and Japanese Spice: Contributing Community, Wholeness, Sincerity, and Heart

Abstract This paper assesses leading Japanese philosophical thought since the onset of Japan’s modernity: namely, from Meiji Restoration (1868) onwards. It argues that there are lessons global value for AI ethics to be found examining philosophers modernity and (Yukichi Fukuzawa, Nishida Kitaro, Nishi Amane, Watsuji Tetsurō), each whom engaged closely with Western traditions. Turning these allows us advance what broadly individualistically Western-oriented ethical debates regarding emergent technologies function in relation AI, by introducing notions community, wholeness, sincerity, heart. With reference pertains profile, judge, learn, interact human emotion (emotional AI), this contends (a) Japan itself may internally make better use historic indigenous thought, especially as it applies question data relationships technology; but also (b) externally discussion emerging will find valuable insights Japan. The concludes distilling four suggestions, or spices, technological contexts national policies international fora, such standards development policymaking.