The 'Shibuya 5G Entertainment Project' was recently announced at a press conference. While slogans like 'Making Shibuya More Exciting with Entertainment-Focused Technology' and 'Transforming Shibuya into a Creative City with au 5G' were visible, the concrete details remained unclear. However, this was to be expected. We spoke with Ichiro Miura, Head of Business Aggregation at KDDI and a key figure in the project, who candidly stated, 'We'll figure things out as we go.'

— The 'Shibuya 5G Entertainment Project' is primarily led by KDDI, Shibuya Mirai Design, and the Shibuya Tourism Association. How did it all begin?

Miura:Since KDDI has an office in Shibuya, we had been exploring ways to collaborate with the Shibuya Ward for some time. Typically, as a telecommunications company providing semi-public services, we'd engage in serious discussions about business schemes. Also, collaborations between public entities don't always yield exciting results. So, the starting point was our desire to create something new by partnering with Shibuya Mirai Design and the Shibuya Tourism Association.

— What kind of organization is Shibuya Mirai Design?

Miura:It was established as an association in April 2018. In my interpretation, it feels akin to a venture company. Many people visit Shibuya, right? This leads to issues like over-tourism, especially on Halloween. But it's difficult to argue that these should be solved solely with resident tax money, as few people live in the Center Gai area. Therefore, I understand the core mission of the 'Shibuya Mirai Design Association' to be solving Shibuya Ward's social challenges in collaboration with corporations and rediscovering the town's appeal. KDDI is also a participant.

— Many major companies, including competitors like NTT Docomo and Tokyu Railways, are involved with Shibuya Mirai Design, and there are expectations that new initiatives will emerge from this collaboration between industry, government, academia, and citizens.

Miura:I believe it serves as a good example of a local government initiative.

— To return to the topic, initially, the idea was for the three companies to do something together?

Miura:Yes. As we discussed various possibilities, I was reminded that KDDI, by its very nature, is a company with a strong entertainment focus. With that in mind, we decided to leverage that aspect and do something with it. In September 2019, the three organizations—Shibuya Mirai Design, the Tourism Association, and KDDI—initially established the project. Naturally, people inside and outside the company asked, 'What exactly will you do?' My answer was, 'We'll figure it out as we go' (laughs).

— That's amazing (laughs). How did you get approval for that?

Miura:I believed that to do something innovative, it would be easier for everyone to move forward if we first broke down existing concepts and created an environment where they felt empowered to 'play.' Our employees are highly capable, so I was confident they would create something excellent. We implemented seven projects between September and December last year. This was the direct result of figuring things out as we went.

— What kind of projects were they?

Miura:The most impactful was 'MUTEK.JP'*1. It was KDDI's third year participating in 2019, but in 2018, we co-hosted a significant event with the MUTEK team at the National Museum of Nature and Science. That experience provided our employees with many new insights.

— What kind of insights were gained?

Miura:Around 2017, our employees were unsure of how to proceed. But by becoming more involved in 2018, they realized they could enjoyably engage and communicate with people involved in digital art and creativity. Simultaneously, we were able to identify individuals interested in these fields across different departments, discovering talent internally.

— As a telecommunications company, KDDI is naturally strong in digital technology, and with your research labs, there's a clear synergy, isn't there?

Miura:Exactly. We have various technologies, including 5G, and our research labs possess a wealth of technologies that are not fully utilized. When we showcase these to creators, it sparks incredibly interesting collaborations. Through these cumulative efforts, by 2019, KDDI employees were even presenting their own works as creators.

Miura:The AR art exhibition by our employees at 'MUTEK.JP' was inspired by a talk session during 'Social Innovation Week' (September 2019), an event organized by Shibuya Mirai Design to consider Shibuya's future. During that session, Cookie, a comedian from the duo 'Wild Bomb,' mentioned how interesting it would be if people could see their own drawings by holding up their smartphones to the Scramble Crossing. That gave us a hint.

— So, the fundamental concept of the 'Shibuya 5G Entertainment Project' was built upon these accumulated experiences?

Miura:Yes. However, there were limitations to what three companies could achieve. Around that time, other companies expressed interest in joining this framework. So, we decided to make a significant change.

— What did you aim to change?

Miura:I believe that many Japanese companies, including our own, face similar challenges. Our current society and corporate structures in Japan feel stagnant. There's a sense of uncertainty about the direction to take, and time passes while we're still searching for solutions. At such a point, I think it requires the courage to discard all previous values. On the other hand, many people are receptive to these kinds of discussions.

— Everyone feels a sense of stagnation, don't they?

Miura:Yes. Therefore, we proposed using 5G, a public service, in the entertainment sector to conduct joint experiments while pooling our respective assets. We opened applications at the end of December, and the press conference was held on January 24th.

— That's incredibly fast.

Miura:I believe that in today's world, everything must move at high speed. So, we put out a call for companies to join, stating, 'We will connect participating companies,' and set the deadline for two weeks later (laughs). I never expected that 32 companies would actually apply. They all share a sense of urgency, in a good way.

— What was the application criteria?

Miura:One was to utilize the city of Shibuya. Another was to improve the city through entertainment and technology. And since immediate monetization wouldn't be possible, the first year would be dedicated to various experiments. Of course, we have no intention of stopping at the experimental stage. Each company already has a general direction in mind.

— So, the 'figure it out as we go' approach is also being applied to the 'Shibuya 5G Entertainment Project,' isn't it?

Miura:Yes. Although it has just launched, interesting combinations are already emerging. On the other hand, some companies are asking, 'What should we do?' or 'What will happen?' But they have to figure that out for themselves. We don't need passive companies. If we can create about ten business models in a year, I'll consider it a success.

— You're essentially testing their genuine desire for change. But isn't this approach also a challenge for KDDI?

Miura:Actually, my title is 'Head of Innovation.' KDDI is a large organization, and most of our employees are new graduates. This can lead to a rigid corporate culture. Even if we seek change, there are many things we cannot achieve with internal personnel alone.

— I see.

Miura:Therefore, we've brought in several individuals with specific expertise and knowledge from outside as 'Heads of Innovation.' My mission is to launch event businesses and innovative new ventures. In addition, there are 'Heads of Innovation' in various fields such as finance and energy.

— KDDI is genuinely trying to change. You, Mr. Miura, previously worked at Diesel Japan and have strong connections in the fashion and music industries. That's quite a unique background.

Miura:We held a rather formal press conference for the 'Shibuya 5G Entertainment Project' recently, but that evening, we had a kick-off party at 'CE LA VI TOKYO' in Tokyu Plaza Shibuya. We invited Darren Emerson from the former Underworld and KEN ISHII, and it was a grand celebration.

— I attended. It's the Tokyo version of the rooftop bar at Singapore's 'Marina Bay Sands,' a fantastic space with a rooftop view.

Miura:Events like that surprise people. For me, having worked at Diesel, it wasn't unusual, and I felt it was something only I could do. Furthermore, it wouldn't be right to have a project launch focused on entertainment without a fun event on the day itself.

— That's true.

Miura:Many of the 32 participating companies were there, but some people felt out of place in a club-like party venue. That was actually part of the intention – to send a message that 'You will need to communicate with people like those here from now on.' 'There's no going back' (laughs).

— Hahaha. But hearing that explains the significance of the event that night. The contrast with the daytime press conference was indeed puzzling.

Miura:However, everyone seemed to enjoy it, and many stayed late. Just as 'MUTEK.JP' served as a catalyst for us, I hope this project will encourage the participating companies to dive into new worlds.

— For you, Mr. Miura, this is also a plan to revitalize Japan using Shibuya, 5G, and entertainment.

Miura:I feel a strong sense of urgency. When I feel stuck, I often travel abroad for inspiration, and I believe young people should travel more. Instead of just using smartphones, they should experience things firsthand, think more freely, and operate at higher speeds. And I hope they will effectively utilize the 'Shibuya 5G Entertainment Project.' There's still much I can't reveal, but exciting things will continue to emerge!

Ichiro Miura
Head of Innovation, KDDI Corporation
Graduated from Seikei University. After working at NTT (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation) and Ogilvy and Mather, he served as PR and Advertising Manager at DIESEL JAPAN before founding a PR consulting firm.
In 2017, he joined KDDI Corporation as Head of Innovation, focusing on business promotion and related areas. In January 2020, he launched the Shibuya 5G Entertainment Project with 32 private companies and Shibuya Ward, leading the creation of 5G, tech, and entertainment businesses originating from Shibuya.
Combining business with pleasure, he was involved in launching and producing large-scale festivals in Japan and Australia for approximately five years starting in 1995. Additionally, as a corporate traveler who has visited over 60 countries since his student days, he advocates for 'petit luxury backpacking' travel.