The city of Kochi, Japan, is venturing into the metaverse realm through a partnership with Start Lands, a Philippines-based firm behind the Start Land metaverse project. Officials signed the deal on February 7, aiming to introduce a “virtual Kochi” online experience by summer 2024. Start Lands, founded by Japanese developer KOUSEI, offers a virtual space where users can utilize free avatars for activities like shopping. Kochi officials anticipate leveraging this collaboration to promote regional revitalization, expand sales channels for local specialties, attract tourists, and potentially enhance education and welfare services.
The move reflects a broader trend in Japan towards embracing web3 and metaverse technologies, with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida highlighting their significance as economic growth drivers. Kochi’s initiative aligns with efforts seen globally, such as Seoul’s plans to launch comprehensive metaverse platform services, indicating a growing recognition of the metaverse’s potential across various sectors. (Source: Cryptonews)
