Society 5.0 can be defined as a human-centered society that balances economic advancement with the resolution of social problems by a system that highly integrates cyberspace (virtual space) and physical (real) space. The aim of Society 5.0 is to create a society where social challenges are resolved by incorporating the innovations of the fourth industrial revolution (e.g. Internet of Things, Big Data, Artificial intelligence, and the sharing economy) into industry and social life. The term originated in Japan from the government’s Council for Science, Technology, and Innovation and it tackles any aspect of society like healthcare, mobility, infrastructure, politics, government, economy and industry.

Society 5.0 also involves the enormous opportunities and challenges of the 21st century. Problems such as climate change, migration and resource consumption must be solved jointly and globally. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as poverty and education require international efforts. Lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic can have an important impact on dealing with global challenges and crisis situations. Technological advancements and trends for digital transformation should assist us to address these global problems. Convergence of cyberspace and physical space can foster new forms of global cooperation. People, things, and systems are all connected in cyberspace. Results obtained by AI can exceed the capabilities of humans and are fed back to physical space.

The conference Society 5.0 is going to deal with the entire range of these opportunities and challenges and show solutions.