The recent change in 2021, when Facebook, a major player in GAFA, rebranded itself as Meta, is still fresh in our memory. The metaverse, which has been gaining attention in recent years, is a three-dimensional virtual space characterized by features such as "multiple users being able to participate simultaneously" and "high immersion with experiences close to reality." Traditionally, the metaverse was defined as VR (Virtual Reality), which does not exist in reality. However, in recent years, it has increasingly included AR (Augmented Reality), which overlays virtual worlds, such as 3D objects, onto the real world. Meta is also focusing on building "LiveMaps," a 3D map of the real world.

In the metaverse, users are not constrained by physical or temporal environments and can engage in communication and various activities. Users can participate in various services such as communication with other users, online shopping, events, and games/entertainment. Additionally, it is possible to acquire digital goods utilizing technologies like NFTs.

In Japan, various companies have already begun utilizing the metaverse. The primary benefit for companies using the metaverse is likely the creation of new business opportunities and the acquisition of touchpoints with customers. For example, Mitsukoshi Isetan Holdings started operating a smartphone app utilizing the metaverse from 2021. The app features virtual stores where users can shop, and their purchases are synchronized with an online store. BEAMS, a domestic select shop chain, frequently participates in the world’s largest virtual event, "Virtual Market." This integration allows visitors to VR spaces to visit physical stores and vice versa, realizing a fusion of the online and real worlds.

The entertainment industry, including music, is well-suited to virtual spaces where viewers can easily participate. VARK Inc. offers the metaverse "VARK," where users can enjoy virtual live performances. Its appeal lies in the ease of enjoying live shows without requiring VR devices, which has garnered positive feedback. Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc. has recreated the streets of Umeda, Osaka, in a metaverse space and gained attention by hosting the online music festival "JM Umeda Music Fest (β)." Additionally, Avex Technologies Inc. opened the theme park "Avex Land" within the world's largest blockchain game platform, "The Sandbox." The Avex-related NFT items sold on the site quickly sold out within an hour, receiving high praise.

The metaverse is being adopted across a wide range of industries, from retail sectors like Amazon to luxury brands such as Gucci and Louis Vuitton. Internationally, the use of the metaverse is not only catching attention for customer service but also for enhancing products and services and improving operational efficiency. Companies like Walmart use the metaverse for employee training programs, and Amazon employs it to improve warehouse operations, showing its significant role in business improvement. NVIDIA’s metaverse construction platform, "NVIDIA Omniverse," is being used to streamline factories around the world, including those of BMW, the UK Atomic Energy Authority, and Siemens Energy. This indicates an increasing use of the metaverse for B2B applications abroad.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought online communication into the spotlight both domestically and internationally, but the use of the metaverse has only just begun. One of its advantages is the ability to share realistic experiences with others regardless of distance or environment. The initiatives progressing in education and healthcare may indicate the future path the metaverse should take. Support for social minorities hints at a bright future embracing diversity. As society ages, more personalized care will likely be required. The spread of the metaverse might lead to a future where people can enjoy shopping, participate in events, and travel even when it's difficult to go out. In the near future, we can look forward to the new social values and possibilities that virtual spaces will bring.