Society 5.0 and Good Governance: Analyzing Governance Strategies and Addressing Challenges

Society 5.0 is a futuristic human-centered society envisioned by Japan. The society will be using the technological inventions of the former society. Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Big Data, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Internet of Things will be some of the key gears for realization of this super smart society blurring the lines between cyber space and physical space. Though such an image of the future society sure looks desirable, it’s crucial to examine whether the principles of Good Governance that offers normative attributes of governance for guaranteeing and realizing human rights would be embedded in Society 5.0. The present study aims to study the application of Good Governance principles in Society 5.0 and the implications while addressing challenges. Through a brief study of policy and secondary material available, the study finds that the Good Governance principles are better realized in the futuristic society than the current information society. Further, the study expects that there would be a key change in the understanding of the meaning of Law. There lies concerns however the inherent flaws in the number of technologies being employed that may hamper the stability and well-being of the society. Considering, the practical operation of the policy as well as the tools to be tapped are only in nascent stage, there is a scope of transformation in the constitution of Society 5.0. Though the present study focuses specifically on Japan’s vision of a supersmart society, it is imminent that such a policy would soon be sought by other nations. Thus the challenges and hurdles that Japan may face are not only of its own but is a point of concern for other nations as well.