December 5th & 6th, 2018
Tokyo, Japan

We live in an interconnected world where boundaries between physical and digital spaces are blurring. We can no longer think about innovation in isolation, but must consider how emerging technologies – artificial intelligence, augmented reality, the Internet of Things, 5G networks, robotics, decentralized blockchain – will converge to create a super-smart society.

‘Society 5.0’ was introduced by the Japanese government and its Council for Science, Technology and Innovation to address numerous 21st century challenges – an aging population, climate change, food (in)security, the limited availability of natural resources and the fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

As a nation, Japan wants to go a step further than the current ‘Industry 4.0’ trends and utilize emerging technologies to further fuel the digital transformation of society, with the goal of becoming the most innovative and socially conscious country in the world. Instead of the solely technology-driven approaches pursued by other countries, Japan’s strategy incorporates a human-centered approach at its center.

The end goal is a fully inclusive society in which everyone has access to the same opportunities, and one that guarantees economic growth and well-being for every person – “regardless of age, gender, location, language or other limitations.” By merging the physical and digital worlds, a super-smart society would be created in which humans, machines and advanced technologies can coexist and thrive. ‘Society 5.0’ will bring humankind together to achieve broader socio-economic benefits for all.