Google has began its functional support of 'Google Assistant' in Japanese from May 29, 2017. All Android-powered smartphones running Android 7.0 Nougat and Android 6.0 Marshmallow, which can access to Google Store, now use several 'Google Assistant' services such as voice-recognition-based concierge services and Google Mobile Service-based ones.

Though Japan has been quite Apple iOS-dominated smartphone market for the past several years, Android has also taken a fair market share, as identified in this HCST 15 country smartphone tracker including Japan.

Language support on the AI platform would be pivotal, and there seems to be an intensified competition for faster language support among Google Assistant, Bixby, Siri, Cortana and other equivalent services for global expansion as well as regional presence.