Japan is exploring the use of the metaverse to tackle socio-economic issues such as repopulating rural areas and helping those with extreme social withdrawal. However, the development of the metaverse has been slow due to insufficient funding and a lack of agreement on where to allocate resources.
The construction of a cross-dimensional network that can monetize the Japanese metaverse is costly and offers limited initial return on investment, which discourages private entities. Despite these challenges, a group of 10 leading manufacturers has announced plans to create a Japan-specific metaverse project called Ryugukoku, and experts are advocating for greater collaboration among academia, the state, and industry to develop a domestic metaverse as a national priority.
A Japanese government report has proposed that virtual reality could assist individuals in social isolation to re-enter the workforce. The report emphasizes the potential for remote work in the metaverse to provide employment assistance to the estimated 1.5 million hikikomori in the country.
All Comments