2026-09-30 11:01:42
Japan is looking to a new generation of AI-powered robots to help tackle a labour shortage that is hitting industries from healthcare to manufacturing.
The Japanese government has set a target of introducing 10 million AI-powered robots by 2040, as the country’s ageing and shrinking population leaves businesses struggling to find workers.
Among the companies hoping to cash in is Tokyo-based AI startup Zeals Co, which unveiled its D1 wheeled humanoid robot in August.
Standing 129cm tall, the indoor robot is fitted with a camera that allows it to recognise faces and communicate with people. Its two arms can each carry objects weighing up to 5kg.
Prices start at 5 million yen, with Zeals aiming to produce 100 robots by March 2027 and achieve a cumulative operating time of 10,000 hours.
According to Japan Today, the company is already testing whether the machines can perform useful jobs outside the laboratory.
In August, a D1 was trialled at Juko Osu Hospital in Nagoya, where it guided visitors and cleared dining tables.
Zeals chief executive Masahiro Shimizu said: “It is important to gather training data and ensure that it is actually useful in real-world settings.”
The company is also working with Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance, which plans to provide specialist insurance for D1 users in sectors including hotels, healthcare, manufacturing and logistics.
Masaki Oshiro, a manager at the insurer, added: “There are risks of causing harm to people or property, as well as concerns about data breaches in cyber-attacks.”
Elsewhere, Nagano-based Kakuichi Co plans to welcome a Chinese-made humanoid robot called Miyazawa Noah as a “new graduate” in April 2027.
The machine will be deployed across departments including manufacturing and sales, where employees will train it through practical experience.
Kakuichi chief executive Riu Tanaka said: “Developing a humanoid robot is also about fostering employees who will make full use of it.”
Zeals currently relies on components from US and Chinese suppliers, although it hopes eventually to build robots entirely from Japanese-made parts.
The rapid push into physical AI highlights how Japan is attempting to turn its demographic problem into an opportunity, with robots increasingly expected to work alongside humans rather than simply replace them.
Visit Bang Bizarre (main website)
