Ericsson Japan and the University of Tokyo are partnering on AI network research through an initiative named ‘Enter New Horizons.’ The collaborative project examines how connectivity supports national responses to demographic change across Japan. It also investigates methods for maintaining domestic social infrastructure while generating alternative avenues for economic growth. President and representative director of Ericsson Japan, Hiroaki Ando announced the collaborative project. “I am very pleased that we are able to launch ‘Enter New Horizons’ in Japan as Ericsson marks its 150th anniversary.
Starting with our workshop with the University of Tokyo, we will broaden our dialogue with communications service providers, companies, local governments, and academic institutions as we explore new possibilities together. “By turning these dialogues into new initiatives for the future, we aim to contribute to the realisation of a sustainable and prosperous society in Japan,” Ando announced. A two-day co-creation workshop hosted in Tokyo marked the operational start of the programme with University of Tokyo students joining personnel from Ericsson Japan to establish structural projections targeted around 2035.
Participants evaluated technical capabilities and discussions concentrated on combining advanced network infrastructure with computational tools. The working sessions evaluated how communication links interface with AI systems to assist public organisations and commercial entities that face structural difficulties across regional communities. Four operational themes guided the exploratory workshop sessions. Manufacturing represented the initial industrial track reviewed by the joint student and corporate working groups.
The teams dedicated a separate technical category to public energy distribution systems alongside the continuous maintenance of civic infrastructure assets. Mobility formed the third exploratory sector, and the concluding category addressed long-term regional sustainability to protect municipal prefectures that face shrinking populations from complete economic contraction. Interdisciplinary faculty guide technological and social integration Academic administration for the collaborative programme involves the University of Tokyo College of Arts and Sciences.
Fumitaka Mafune coordinates the Liberal Arts Innovation Village, an internal community exploring social progress through liberal arts scholarship. Mafune, who heads the Social Collaboration Division at the Center for the Advancement of Higher Education in Liberal Arts, stated that connecting academic knowledge with industry helps address increasingly complex societal issues from multiple perspectives. Subsequent project phases rely on advisory input from university faculty members.
Associate Professor Yukino Baba provides domain expertise in AI architectures and human-computer interaction models from her university post. Professor Shinji Kajitani contributes philosophical guidance—his academic work focuses on dialogue methods regarding human values and daily living conditions. Ericsson plans to combine these varied faculty perspectives with local government feedback to evaluate how planned network deployments influence social problems, technological development, and individual human priorities across the country.
Mafune noted that combined AI and connectivity establish an operational foundation for commerce and domestic life. The academic coordinator identified healthcare as a specific operational sector alongside regional communities, mobility, and physical infrastructure that requires fresh analytical perspectives for long-term planning. Student discussions linked these technical systems directly to pressing community requirements.
