Launched in July with the goal of updating regulations that hinder effective usage of cutting-edge technologies, the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Japan has been helping the government lay out guidelines for an optimal future society.
The "Fourth Industrial Revolution" is currently being brought about by the practical use of data and digital technologies to improve people's lives in various ways. It is building on the Third Industrial Revolution, which is represented by the modernization of computers, the spread of the internet and a wide variety of digital devices. The Third Industrial Revolution is generally considered to span from the 1980s to present-day, while the Second Industrial Revolution took place from the late 19th century to the early 20th century, built on mass production enabled by electricity.
The center, an equal, three-way joint venture of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the World Economic Forum and the Asia Pacific Initiative, holds discussions on health care, data usage policies, smart cities and other innovations involving related ministries and government agencies to speed up decision making.