"I want people to have the awareness of the issues affecting Japan," says University of Tsukuba Associate Professor Yoichi Ochiai. Artificial intelligence, 5G wireless networks, and other technologies can be harnessed to address social challenges unique to Japan, says Yoichi Ochiai, an associate professor at the University of Tsukuba and CEO of Pixie Dust Technologies Inc. The 5G network is set to enter commercial service in Japan next spring. It will "have an enormous impact on our communication media . . . Improving the service infrastructure for the elderly, including taxi-hailing apps and automatic transcriptions for those with hearing difficulty, is vital to independent living, Ochiai says.

Advances in artificial intelligence (AI), 5G wireless networks and other technologies are making our lives more exciting and convenient, but a young entrepreneur, professor and media artist is also keen to harness them for other ambitions: addressing social challenges unique to Japanese society. The fifth-generation, or 5G, high-speed mobile network set to enter commercial service in the country next spring will "have an enormous impact on our communication media," Yoichi Ochiai said in a mid-September interview with The Japan Times. It will become a means for us to resolve challenges." Ochiai, 32, who specializes in human-computer interaction and computer graphics, serves as an associate professor at the University of Tsukuba and is CEO of Pixie Dust Technologies Inc. Also a commentator on technology, Ochiai will give a speech at the digital trade fair CEATEC 2019, which runs from Oct. 15 to 18 at Makuhari Messe. The Japan Times is a prime media partner for the event.