Japan has revised its national robotics strategy to target the integration of 10 million robots by 2040, with increased emphasis on healthcare applications. The updated plan, announced by Minister for the Economy, Trade and Industry Ryosei Akazawa, highlights expanded roles for robots in medical care, food and beverage manufacturing, and other sectors. To achieve this, Akazawa emphasized investments in AI-powered robotics and physical AI technologies, leveraging Japan’s existing expertise in robotics for healthcare, disaster response, manufacturing, and nuclear decommissioning.
Collaboration will be facilitated through a new entity named “Noetra,” primarily owned by SoftBank, NEC, Sony Group, and Honda. Fujitsu and Rakuten are also considering joining this initiative. The minister pointed to Japan’s aging population and stringent immigration policies as key drivers, noting that robots can address labor shortages by filling roles unattainable through human labor alone.
In a contrasting development, South Korea recently unveiled a comparable robotics initiative, signaling intensified regional competition. However, Japan’s approach focuses on practical implementation rather than speculative scenarios like cinematic robot conflicts, aligning with its pragmatic technological advancement goals.