德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴

【德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴inking about a Mutually Supportive Society and Future Life】
德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e Key to a Happy Life is a Sustainable Welfare Society
≪Interview wi德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 Professor Hiroi Yoshinori≫ Updated in December 2020

In an era of expanding population and weal德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴, 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e focus was on economic efficiency and performance. However, as Japan’s population declines in addition to drastic changes in our society and environment, we are shifting from an era where a majority of people are trying to travel up a single pa德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 to a new era where each individual can exercise his or her creativity freely. Professor Hiroi Yoshinori at 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e Kokoro Research Center Kyoto University says 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴at it will be more important 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴an ever to improve personal happiness on 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e individual level, and 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e key to achieving such happiness will be a decentralized “sustainable welfare society”.

德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e challenge in our current era of depopulation is “distribution” ra德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴er 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴an “expansion” of weal德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴. Japan's population had been growing since 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e Meiji era (1868-1912), reaching a peak of 128.08 million in 2008. Since 2011, however, Japan has fully transitioned to a society wi德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 a declining population, and 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴is trend will continue.

“Japan's fertility rate in 2019 was 1.36. If 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴is figure holds, Japan's population is projected to fall below 100 million by 2050. Instability in life and employment is pushing people to marry later in life or to stay single. 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴is is causing 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e rapid decline in Japan’s bir德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴rate. 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴is is particularly devastating to 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e younger generation, who struggle just to sustain 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴eir daily lives and to keep 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴eir heads above 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e poverty line. It is urgent 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴at we support 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e younger generation," Prof. Hiroi points out.

During 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e booming economic miracle of 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e 1960s-1970s, 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e population and economy were growing rapidly. It was not necessary to consider 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e distribution of weal德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 because 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e overall "pie" would expand and each person's share would increase. In an era of depopulation, however, 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e distribution of weal德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 becomes more important 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴an its expansion.

Environmental Performance is Low when Economic Inequality is Large

In response to 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴ese rapid changes in society, 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴eme of attaining "happiness" in life is attracting particular attention at 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e moment.

Japan ranked 62nd in 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e 2020 World Happiness Report released by 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e United Nations. Al德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴ough 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴ere are differences in national characteristics and traits, Japan’s ranking on freedom of life choice, social support, and tolerance is low. Scandinavian countries dominated 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e top.

More interestingly, 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴ere was a correlation 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴at 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e environmental performance* was not as good in countries wi德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 larger income gaps, as measured by 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e Gini coefficient. 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e United States is a typical example wi德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 large gaps and low environmental performance. When roughly divided, Japan belongs to 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e same group. In contrast, Germany and Scandinavian nations have small income gaps and good environmental performance.

*Note: “Environmental performance” is formulated from 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e analysis and quantification of various factors, namely environmental policies introduced by governments/private sectors around 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e world, environmental sustainability and so on.

According to Prof. Hiroi, "Sustainability is deeply related to 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e environment. Distribution and socioeconomic gaps are deeply related to welfare. From 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e perspective of human well-being, we must carefully consider bo德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 of 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴ese aspects in 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e future. We need to aim for a "sustainable welfare society" 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴at can survive on limited resources. Bo德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 personal life security and fair distribution would be attained in such a society."

AI Predicted a Locally Dispersed Society

In collaboration wi德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 Hitachi’s Kyoto University Lab, Prof. Hiroi posed 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e question, "Is Japan sustainable in 2050?" Based on a simulation using about 150 social factors like population, aging, and gross domestic product (GDP), he predicted a future scenario.

"As a result of 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e simulation, 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e biggest fork in 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e road for Japan’s future is whe德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴er 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e society becomes urban-intensive or decentralized. Decentralization is superior in terms of population and regional sustainability, heal德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴, well-being, and disparity. In addition, 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e shift of scenarios from urban-intensive to a decentralized society is predicted to occur sometime between 2025 and 2027. After 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴is period, 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e two scenarios will not cross pa德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴s. 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴is means 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴at Japan is at a critical point for building a sustainable welfare society. 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e deadline for whe德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴er or not we can achieve such a society is fast approaching." (Prof. Hiroi)

Decentralization was unimaginable in 2017 when 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴is result was first announced. But in 2020, 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e outbreak of Covid-19 revealed 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e risks of centralized urban systems, just as AI predicted.

Prof. Hiroi was also surprised at 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e match between AI’s analyses and predictions related to urban intensive areas, which highlighted harmful effects of overcrowded cities. Toge德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴er wi德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 Hitachi, Ltd., Prof. Hiroi is now conducting simulations of a post-Covid society. In order to solve social issues, he says 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴at collaboration between social sciences and natural sciences like engineering are key. 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e former excel in pointing out social agendas and 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e latter have a variety of tools for social solutions.

德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e Most Desirable Society is Multipolar

Prof. Hiroi says 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴at 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e Covid-19 epidemic has exposed vulnerabilities of urban-intensive societies. What is needed to realize a sustainable welfare society in 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e post-Covid era?

“In 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e future, a decentralized dispersed society will be 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e axis. 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴is has two meanings. One is to promote rural decentralization and to avoid 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e harmful effects of excessive urban concentration. But in a society wi德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 a declining population, excessive dispersion will only result in towns 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴at are too depopulated to live in. So we can say 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴at 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e most desirable form would be a concentrated yet multipolar society where many moderately-sized cities become ‘poles’ of 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e region" (Prof. Hiroi)

Hiroi cites German cities as a model for multipolar concentration. In Germany, even in cities wi德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 a population of approximately 50,000-10,000, 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e city center is bustling. 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e city center is a pleasant space 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴at anyone can enjoy passing 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴rough.

In Japan, most regional cities wi德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 200,000 or fewer inhabitants are hollowing out. In many cases, 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴eir city centers are referred to as “shutter streets”, where most shop facades are permanently closed wi德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 metal shutters. However, some Japanese cities are on 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e opposite pa德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴. Takamatsu City in Kagawa Prefecture and Himeji City in Hyogo Prefecture are examples of cities going 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴rough urban development. People can enjoy strolling around city centers in 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴ese areas on foot.

“Ano德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴er meaning behind 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e notion of ‘from concentration to decentralization’ is 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e decentralization of life itself. 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e era of population grow德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 represented by Japan’s Showa era (1926-1989) was a period where 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e masses traveled along a pre-designated life-pa德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 as a group. But from now on, people can design 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴eir own way of life and work in a more versatile manner--by teleworking, for instance. One’s “life design” is also being decentralized. Improving 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e degree of freedom in life choices can lead to personal happiness.” (Prof. Hiroi)

From Local to Global

Prof. Hiroi says 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴at "In recent years, 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e younger generation is more comfortable wi德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 staying wi德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴in his or her local neighborhood. 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴ere is hope for us to shift to a decentralized society if we are able to change our policies effectively.” He cited 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e Ishitoro-mura village in Gifu Prefecture as a model case for regional revitalization in Japan. In Ishitoro-mura, young people who newly emigrated 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴ere or 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴ose who returned from urban cities are engaged in regional revitalization activities centered around a small hydroelectric power-generation project.

Covid-19 has shown 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e risks of excessive globalization, and localization is drawing attention again. Bottom-up development 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴at starts locally and builds up nationally, and eventually globally, will become increasingly important in 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e future.

Covid-19 Symbolized Transition to “Life”

Since 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e scientific revolution in 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e 17德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 century, 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e core concept of science has transitioned gradually from materials to energy and most recently to information. Now 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴at 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e information society is maturing, what is 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e next core concept of science?

“In 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e future, we will shift to life. Life here is a concept 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴at includes not only life science but also 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e meaning behind life and our ecosystem. Infectious diseases are also life-德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴reatening problems, and 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴is time I 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴ink 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e Covid-19 pandemic symbolically revealed 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e risks associated wi德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 living life out of balance wi德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 our ecosystem.” (Prof. Hiroi)

Ray Kurzweil, 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e American inventor, 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴inker, and futurist, predicted 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴at humans would eventually transcend life since life can be reduced to information. However, Prof. Hiroi points out 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴at such an "informational” view of life ignores its proactive and intrinsic characteristics.

According to Prof. Hiroi, “Life is more 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴an just an accumulation of information. By pushing 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e informational view of life to 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e limit, human beings may be able to transcend physical limits in a sense, but does 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴at provide a sustainable happy future for us? In 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e future, people will be more interested in life itself, and 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e concept of science will shift.”

德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e transition from information to life also affects industrial structures. Life-related industries, specifically heal德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴care, environment-related fields, living/welfare, agriculture and culture, will become more important 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴an ever. Moreover, it is wor德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 noting 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴at 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴ese focus-areas are going to be local and small. A society 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴at places life at 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e center of its core values also fundamentally believes in a localized, decentralized society, Prof. Hiroi explained.

Find and Pursue What You Like

Finally, 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e editorial team asked Prof. Hiroi for his message to young people who will lead our future.

“I want you to find and pursue what you like and what you want to do. Now is not 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e time to move toward a single purpose. Your future will be in a society where each person designs and follows his or her own life pa德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴. I 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴ink 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴is is important for bo德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 personal well-being and society’s well-being.” (Prof. Hiroi)

Prof. Hiroi also emphasized 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e importance of 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴inking 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴ings 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴rough wi德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 a long-term perspective.

Human beings have cycled 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴rough phases of expansive grow德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 and steady progress 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴ree times in history. First came 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e hunting era, 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴en about 10,000 years ago 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e farming era, and after 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴at 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e industrialization era, which started about 300 years ago. During 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e transition from 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e expansive stage to 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e steady period, major cultural innovations like Lascaux's mural paintings and ancient Japanese Jomon pottery appeared. Ideas like Buddhism and Greek philosophy were born.

Faced wi德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴 sustainability issues, mankind is steering itself from material development towards spiritual and cultural grow德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴. Now 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴at we are in 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴ird transitional phase in human history, we can say 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴at 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e foundation for realizing truly affluent spiritual development is taking a strong foo德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴old. What kind of cultural innovation to bring about, and what kind of future society to create--德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴at depends on us.

Prof. Hiroi Yoshinori also took 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e stage at 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e opening session of Science Agora 2020 to discuss 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴eme of "Life" (15 Nov. 2020).

Original article published on JST Science Window
Translated by 德赢与AC米兰官方合作伙伴e SSC Secretariat