January 23, 2018

The Asia Pacific Initiative (AP Initiative), World Economic Forum and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry plan to establish “World Economic Forum Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Japan: C4IR (Japan)” in summer 2018.

1． World Economic Forum’s Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution
The World Economic Forum headquarters (Geneva) established the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in San Francisco in March 2017 as a site for focused discussions on and demonstrations of initiatives related to the Fourth Industrial Revolution which makes use of artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and other technologies.

2． World Economic Forum Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Japan: C4IR (Japan)
Japan’s hub in Tokyo will be established in summer 2018 as one of the global sister centers of the World Economic Forum’s Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution by AP Initiative, Japanese companies and public intellectuals. The Japan Center will actively collaborate with the World Economic Forum’s Center for The Fourth Industrial Revolution and other sister sites worldwide which will be established as well.

(1) Mission of the World Economic Forum Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Japan: C4IR (Japan)
Facilitating contributions by humans to the Fourth Industrial Revolution and maximizing its benefits to society through Japanese and global science and technology.

(2) Purpose of the World Economic Forum Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Japan: C4IR (Japan)
－Freely spread and share people, technology, capital, knowledge and systems; contribute to new growth in the global economy through open innovation that transcends national borders.
－Build a global innovation site to overcome the governance gap of discrepancies between progress in advanced technologies and corresponding systems, and discrepancies between various countries’ systems.

(3) Areas for study at the World Economic Forum Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Japan: C4IR (Japan)
Healthcare, mobility (autonomous driving/mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) and drone utilization), and construction of a legislative system that promotes innovation.
※The Japan Center also plans to actively collaborate on themes being discussed by the World Economic Forum’s Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, such as AI, IoT, blockchain, autonomous driving, civilian use of drones, cross-border data flow, precision medicine, marine environment, and small and medium business innovation, while taking into account local participants needs.

3．Upcoming schedule
Specific activities are planned to begin in summer 2018.

Main attendees at the press conference in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos
1．AP Initiative
Yoichi Funabashi           Chairman
Nobuyoshi John Ehara  Trustee/ Founder, Partner, UNISON CAPITAL Inc.
2. World Economic Forum
Murat Sönmez 　　　Head, Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution;
                                   Member of the Managing Board
3．Japanese corporate representatives and public intellectuals
Nobuhiro Endo 　　　Chairman of the Board (Representative Director),
                                    NEC Corporation
Yoshimitsu Kobayashi Director of the Board, Chairperson,
Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation
Hiroaki Nakanishi        Chairman of the Board and Representative Executive
                                    Officer, Hitachi, Ltd.
Takeshi Niinami           President & Chief Executive Officer, Member of the
                                    Board, Representative Director, Suntory Holdings
                                    Limited
Kengo Sakurada         Group CEO, Representative Director, President and
                                    Executive Officer, Sompo Holdings, Inc.
4．Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
Tadao Yanase              Vice-Minister for International Affairs

For inquiries:
Keisuke Sasaki, Mr.
Director, Fourth Industrial Revolution Policy Office, Policy Planning and Coordination Division, Economic and Industrial Policy Bureau, Ministry of Economic, Trade and Industry (METI)
Cell phone number：+81-90-2530-9898 (Davos), sasaki-keisuke@meti.go.jp

Mami Fukuchi, Ms. Satoshi Hashimoto, Mr.
Fourth Industrial Revolution Policy Office, Economic and Industrial Policy Bureau, Ministry of Economic, Trade and Industry (METI)
Tel: +81-3-3501-1367(main number)

Aya Baba, Ms.
Director, Planning & External Relations, Asia Pacific Initiative,
＋81-3-5545-6733 (main number)

*Please click here for a PDF of the press release