The Role of Rule-making Entities and Private Sector Driven Soft Law in the Metaverse Domain of Japan

Abstract

The purposes of this paper are 1) to summarize the overall picture of rule formation on, and governance of, the metaverse in Japan, and 2) to clarify the role that private sector driven soft law should fulfill within this overall picture. After an overview of the status of rule-making in the metaverse in Japan, both in the government and the private sector, an overview of the Virtual City Guidelines as an example of private sector driven soft law and the background leading to their establishment will be presented. Based on the overview of the current rule-making process, the roles of multi-stakeholders participating in the rule-making process and the roles that private sector driven soft law should play in the overall picture will be discussed.