Photo: EPA
Japan has updated its national robotics strategy, setting a goal of deploying 10 million robots by 2040. The machines are expected to work across healthcare, elderly care, manufacturing, and the food industry, The Register reports.
Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ryosei Akazawa, presented the revised strategy, which calls for a major expansion of robotics and the development of physical artificial intelligence systems.
To support the initiative, the Japanese government will invest in AI models designed specifically for robots and other physical AI applications. The effort will be coordinated by a newly established organization called Noetra, founded by SoftBank, NEC, Sony Group, and Honda. Fujitsu and Rakuten are also considering joining the project.
According to Akazawa, Japan has already built extensive expertise in using robots for elderly care, disaster response, industrial manufacturing, and the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The government believes this experience will help strengthen Japan's position as one of the world's leading robotics innovators.
One of the main drivers behind the strategy is the country's demographic challenge. An aging population and strict immigration policies have created a growing labor shortage, prompting wider adoption of robots for jobs where workers are scarce or where people are reluctant to take on physically demanding or repetitive tasks.
At the same time, China is expanding a nationwide network of specialized training centers for humanoid robots. In these facilities, instructors use motion-capture technology and sensor systems to teach robots how to perform everyday, industrial, and service-related tasks autonomously, including assembly-line sorting, equipment repairs, cooking, and cleaning.
