Society 5.0 is a concept proposed as a vision for Japan’s future society. It follows a chronological framework in which the hunting society is defined as Society 1.0, the agrarian society as Society 2.0, the industrial society as Society 3.0, and the information society as Society 4.0. Society 5.0 represents the next stage in this progression. Around the same time, the term Fourth Industrial Revolution gained prominence, leading to a widespread perception that Society 5.0 is a direct outcome of this revolution. However, such a view does not necessarily reflect the original intent behind theproposal of Society 5.0. As we approach the tenth anniversary of its introduction, this paper reexamines the respective meanings of Society 5.0 and the Fourth Industrial Revolution from the perspective of the history of technology.
Yasuhiro Kinoshita (Wed,) studied this question.