Way Forward for Society 5.0 and Next-Generation Healthcare

We envisage living in a society where scientific and technological inno-vations lead to reforms in human health by merging cyber and physical spaces. The concept of Society 5.0 was first proposed in Japan. Society 5.0 is a smart, knowledge-based society, which uses digital information-based technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and the Internet of Things (IoT) to gather and analyse large amounts of data. Elements of Society 5.0 are human-centric and promote the integration of the physical world and cyberspace in its economic development and innovation framework. The promotion of a smart, knowledge-based, human-centric society is designed with the hopes of leading to a better life for all human nations, regardless of their ethnicity or wealth. Digital information technologies, together with the concept of Society 5.0, will assist in implementing the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 3, which looks at the use and integration of new technologies in improving healthcare, resulting in individuals living a longer, healthier and more productive life. The healthcare sector is a fundamental component of the economy, and as such, it requires that the individuals in the sector be in peak mental and physical health to facilitate maximal societal growth. It is common knowledge that health is wealth, and this is reflected by the rate of growth and development in societies and when their population is healthy. In its implementation, Society 5.0 will not only require new technologies but will also drive technological developments. Developments that will improve data analytical methods and geospatial surveillance for the prevention of chronic diseases. The implementation of Society 5.0 into healthcare systems will strengthen precision medicine approaches and invariably improve all spheres of human health. Despite the challenges such as human rights violations, security, privacy, safety and the impact on the energy crisis, these technologies will pave the way forward for improved healthcare systems and living.