On Saturday, December 13, 2025, the Multiverse Social and Human Innovation Project (MulSHIP) hosted a symposium titled “The Boundary Between the Virtual and the Real in Society” at Kyushu University’s Ohashi Campus.
In an era in which the metaverse and real society increasingly overlap, this symposium explored how the boundary between the virtual and the real should be understood and how it relates to society and human activities. Researchers and practitioners delivered lectures and engaged in discussions on these themes.
In the first half of the program, Associate Professor Takafumi Katsumura (Faculty of Design, Kyushu University) presented a lecture from the perspective of Multiverse Anthropology. This was followed by a keynote address by Professor Koichi Setoyama (Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine) on ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) in a multiverse society. In addition, Mr. Kazuo Isoda (Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.) introduced case studies of art experiences utilizing XR technologies, highlighting the potential of virtual technologies to expand cultural experiences.
In the second half, a discussion centered on the keyword “the boundary between the virtual and the real” brought together diverse perspectives, including education, culture, ethics, and social implementation. Participants shared the view that it is important not to regard the virtual and the real as opposing concepts, but rather as mutually complementary.
Through this symposium, participants deepened their understanding of new values and challenges in a multiverse society and gained many insights that will inform future research and practice. MulSHIP will continue to foster research and dialogue that connect virtual spaces and real society.
In an era in which the metaverse and real society increasingly overlap, this symposium explored how the boundary between the virtual and the real should be understood and how it relates to society and human activities. Researchers and practitioners delivered lectures and engaged in discussions on these themes.
In the first half of the program, Associate Professor Takafumi Katsumura (Faculty of Design, Kyushu University) presented a lecture from the perspective of Multiverse Anthropology. This was followed by a keynote address by Professor Koichi Setoyama (Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine) on ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) in a multiverse society. In addition, Mr. Kazuo Isoda (Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.) introduced case studies of art experiences utilizing XR technologies, highlighting the potential of virtual technologies to expand cultural experiences.
In the second half, a discussion centered on the keyword “the boundary between the virtual and the real” brought together diverse perspectives, including education, culture, ethics, and social implementation. Participants shared the view that it is important not to regard the virtual and the real as opposing concepts, but rather as mutually complementary.
Through this symposium, participants deepened their understanding of new values and challenges in a multiverse society and gained many insights that will inform future research and practice. MulSHIP will continue to foster research and dialogue that connect virtual spaces and real society.
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