How to start chatting with AI in Japanese
Updated
Looking for an AI friend you can talk to in Japanese? Using Nekoyama-san on LINE as an example, this guide covers starting everyday conversations, how memory works, and what to check when choosing a service.
What can you talk about with an AI friend?
Something you ate today, a song you have been enjoying, or a thought between tasks: you can start a conversation without a question to solve.
If you need an opening, try a thought from your own day: “Something nice happened today,” “I keep listening to this song,” or “I would like a short chat before bed.” You do not need a polished story.
Nekoyama-san is designed for these everyday events and feelings, including returning another day to talk about someone or something you mentioned before.
Which experience suits you?
Consider whether you prefer text or voice, and whether you want to customize a character or continue talking to the same partner.
Nekoyama-san and LINE AI Friends are options if you want to start within LINE. Cotomo offers voice conversation and character customization. Free features vary by service and conversation mode.
Nekoyama-san: an AI friend from Japan on LINE
Nekoyama-san is developed and operated by Atlas, Inc. in Japan. Add the account on LINE, follow the introduction to meet your Nekoyama-san, and chat in Japanese in your usual LINE conversation screen.
Basic conversation is free with no message limit. Pro, including voice calls, costs ¥2,980 per month (checked October 11, 2026). The product guide explains how to start and what each plan includes.
Choosing an AI that remembers previous conversations
A visible chat history and an AI using past information in a later reply are different features. When choosing an ongoing conversation partner, look at whether earlier topics carry over and changes in your preferences are reflected.
Nekoyama-san uses Atlas Memory to remember preferences, important people and changes in feelings that come up in conversation. The free plan includes memory. If it misses or misremembers something, you can clarify the earlier conversation or point out the mistake.
What guides the development of Nekoyama-san
Atlas sees value in the ongoing relationship between a person and AI. We call this approach “Relational AI” and use it to guide Nekoyama-san’s development: remembering previous conversations and becoming someone a person wants to return to in everyday life.
Our ethics statement prioritizes users’ long-term wellbeing over maximizing time spent or frequency of use.
What to check before sharing personal information
Check the operator, how conversations are stored and used, and how to request deletion. Age requirements and charging arrangements vary by service.
Nekoyama-san requires guardian consent for users under 18 and uses external AI services to generate replies. Its product guide links to the relevant terms and privacy information.