Japan's Population Decline and the Robotics Revolution

Japan is experiencing a large population decline. The current population of 127 million will, at current estimates, drop by one-third to 88 million by 2065. At the same time, the population is ageing greatly with 28% aged 65 or over, a world record. Japan is pioneering the widespread introduction of robotics into many areas of society to compensate for the population fall. It aims to replace humans in many sectors like manufacturing and food processing. It also plans to introduce service robots that work closely with human beings in settings like care homes and hospitals. It is the largest such program of its kind globally. The ultimate success of this program depends on creating truly autonomous robots and will require Japan to become a global leader in artificial intelligence alongside the United States and China.