NEC teams with Anthropic for Japan AI enterprise tools

NEC has entered a strategic collaboration with Anthropic to develop artificial intelligence offerings for Japanese enterprises, becoming Anthropic's first global partner based in Japan.

The agreement focuses on jointly developing sector-specific tools for finance, manufacturing and local government, with an emphasis on secure deployment in areas with strict compliance and operational requirements. It will also feed into NEC's cybersecurity services and broader internal use of Anthropic's Claude products.

Under the arrangement, NEC plans to use Claude within its BluStellar Scenario framework, starting with products related to data-driven management and customer experience transformation. It also intends to extend the software across the NEC Group, giving around 30,000 employees access as it builds what it described as one of Japan's largest AI-native engineering teams.

The tie-up reflects growing competition among technology groups to secure local partners as demand rises for generative AI systems tailored to regulated industries. In Japan, companies and public bodies have moved more cautiously than some overseas counterparts, with security, transparency, workforce shortages and domestic regulatory requirements often cited as barriers to wider adoption.

First phase

The first phase will focus on combining customer knowledge with industry-specific operational expertise to build tools suited to frontline work. As part of that effort, the companies plan to use Claude Cowork, Anthropic's desktop AI agent for business users.

Cybersecurity is also part of the collaboration. NEC is already using Anthropic's technology in its Security Operations Centre services, which are designed to help protect customers' digital infrastructure in Japan and abroad from increasingly sophisticated attacks.

The broader deployment is intended to support both product development and internal operations. NEC has been using AI agents in software design and testing under its Client Zero programme, an initiative that applies new tools within its own business before offering them to customers.

Internal rollout

As part of the latest move, NEC plans to expand use of Claude Cowork across internal business operations to improve development efficiency. It also plans to establish an internal Centre of Excellence, with support from Anthropic, to train specialist AI staff.

That internal focus matters because Japanese businesses often cite a shortage of digital and AI talent as a major obstacle to implementation. By extending access to thousands of staff, NEC is seeking to build a larger in-house pool of engineers and practitioners able to adapt AI systems to specific customer needs.

The collaboration also gives Anthropic a stronger foothold in Japan through a longstanding domestic technology supplier with deep ties to government and industry. For NEC, the arrangement adds a high-profile AI partner as it looks to deepen its role in business transformation projects and managed security work.

Executive views

Anthropic Chief Commercial Officer Paul Smith said the company sees the agreement as part of a longer-term commitment to Japan.

"We are deeply honored to collaborate with NEC, one of Japan's leading technology companies," said Paul Smith, Chief Commercial Officer, Anthropic. "Since its founding, Anthropic has advanced its research guided by the conviction that building trustworthy AI is the path to building truly great AI. We are deeply grateful for the trust extended to us by our customers, partners, and government stakeholders across Japan, and we regard this collaboration as a meaningful step in our long-term commitment to shaping the future of AI in Japan together. By bringing together the strengths of both companies, we are dedicated to delivering safe and secure AI agents that Japanese enterprises can adopt with full confidence," added Smith.

NEC Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer Toshifumi Yoshizaki said the partnership is expected to support both deployment and product development.

"This long-term partnership with Anthropic enables NEC to maximize the potential of AI in the Japanese market and further strengthen our capabilities in AI and AI agent implementation through large-scale deployments and collaboration," said Toshifumi Yoshizaki, Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer, NEC. "By bringing together the technology and expertise of both companies, we aim to jointly create solutions that meet the high safety, reliability, and quality standards demanded by companies and public administration, and play a central role in supporting the transformation of our customers through AI utilization," added Yoshizaki.