Web3

• Reading: ウェブスリー
• Romaji: webu surii
• Pronunciation: /we.bu.su.riː/

Meaning

Web3 — the vision of a decentralised internet built on blockchain; uniquely, the Japanese government actively promotes it as a national economic growth strategy.

Web3 (read ウェブスリー, webu surii) encompasses decentralised applications, NFTs, DAOs, and crypto as components of a next-generation internet. Japan stands out globally for its government-level enthusiasm: the ruling Liberal Democratic Party established a Web3 Policy Office (web3プロジェクトチーム) and the government published official Web3 white papers encouraging startups. This top-down promotion made Web3 a mainstream business buzzword in Japan well beyond pure tech circles.

Examples

1. Web3って結局何がいいのかよくわかんないんだよね。 I still don't really get what's supposed to be so great about Web3.
2. 日本政府がWeb3推進してるのって他の国と比べると珍しいらしい。 Apparently it's pretty unusual compared to other countries that the Japanese government is promoting Web3.
3. Web3系のスタートアップに転職した友達がいる。 I have a friend who switched jobs to a Web3 startup.

Usage Guide

Context: startup culture, business media, tech community, government policy discussions

Tone: aspirational, buzzword-ish, sometimes sceptical

Do Say

• Web3の文脈でDAOって組織の形が注目されてる。 (In the Web3 context, the organisational form of DAOs is getting attention.)
• 日本はWeb3に前向きな国として海外でも話題になってる。 (Japan is being discussed abroad as a country that is positive about Web3.)

Don't Say

• 「Web3」を「インターネットのバージョン3」として説明しない — バージョン番号ではなく思想・技術的パラダイムの話 (Don't explain Web3 as 'version 3 of the internet' — it's a technological and philosophical paradigm, not a version number)

Common Mistakes

• Conflating Web3 with simply 'using cryptocurrency' — Web3 refers to a broader architectural vision of decentralisation
• Using the reading ウェブスリー and ウェブ3 interchangeably without knowing your audience — the numeral form Web3 is more common in written contexts

Origin & History

The term 'Web3' was popularised by Ethereum co-founder Gavin Wood around 2014 and gained mainstream momentum in 2021. Japan's engagement intensified from 2022 when the LDP formally adopted Web3 promotion as government policy, distinguishing Japan from many other countries that have taken a more sceptical regulatory stance.

Cultural Context

Era: 2021–present

Generation: 20s–40s in tech, business, and investment

Social background: Tech workers, startup founders, business professionals

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Japan's unique government promotion makes Web3 more mainstream here than in comparable economies.