Governance and the Provision of Roads and Mobility in Five Japanese ‘Societies’

•First study in English of history of Japanese roads and impacts of policies on society.•Long-term historical perspective of institutional and organisational change in transport from Japan “Society 1.0” to Japan Society “5.0”.•Propositions from the New Institutional Economics are examined with respect to road governance, policy and impacts on personal mobility.•Critical analysis of Japan “Society 5.0” and speculations on agile governance.