By Dillon Jaghory
Starting within the 1960’s, the rise of producing for the automotive business and the concomitant rise of commercial robots performed an indispensable function in powering Japan’s financial miracle. By the 1980’s, the momentum accelerated to the purpose the place commentators started referring to 1980 as “12 months one” for Japanese robotics. These forces culminated in Japan being dominant within the area of robotics as we speak.
On this piece, we dive into the world of Japanese robotics, together with answering a number of key questions:
- How did this business take form?
- Which segments of the robotics theme does Japan have a bonus in as we speak?
- How can robotics assist Japan grapple with a number of present and future challenges, together with inhabitants decline, financial doldrums, and COVID-19?
Industrial robots powered Japan’s financial miracle
Early indicators of brilliance emerged after the 1964 Olympics
Speedy financial development was the zeitgeist of Japan within the 1960’s. Prime Minister Ikeda Hayato boldly pushed the earnings doubling plan, the enlargement of home manufacturing was in full swing, and the 1964 Tokyo Olympics turned an emblem of nationwide revitalization. This was the backdrop towards which Japan’s robotic business took its first steps.
In America, the corporate Unimation partnered with Basic Motors to deploy the primary industrial robotic, the Unimate, in 1961. Unimation’s determination to kind a partnership with Kawasaki Heavy Industries in 1968 proved to be a fateful second for industrial robotics in Japan, and solely a 12 months later the Kawasaki-Unimate made historical past as Japan’s first domestically produced industrial robotic.1 On this nascent section, Japanese corporations largely relied on analysis and designs provided by American companions.
Fanuc, a future large in industrial robots, was principally centered on numerical controls (NCs) all through the Nineteen Sixties and didn’t start robots till the Seventies.2 Amongst different future Japanese leaders in robotics, Daifuku derived most of its development within the Nineteen Sixties from overhead Webb Conveyor programs, whereas Mitsubishi Electrical was already a Fortune 100 world firm that manufactured a variety {of electrical} merchandise.3,4
Within the 1960’s, rising incomes and buying energy translated into rising demand for private cars. On the identical time, Japan confronted a labor scarcity regardless of speedy urbanization that introduced younger employees from the countryside to town. The scarcity meant that it was troublesome to seek out employees, however it was much more troublesome to seek out expert employees in a position and keen to carry out “3D” jobs (soiled, harmful, degrading) in auto crops, like welding and portray. Moreover, the norm of lifelong employment and powerful job safety at Japanese corporations meant that employees felt much less threatened by the introduction of robots and automation.5 All of those elements incentivized automation in automobile factories.
Japan’s auto business skilled speedy development within the post-war period up till the collapse of the Japan bubble. Industrial robots turned very helpful for arc- and spot-welding in addition to software of paint on automobile meeting traces.
Whereas the robotic arms of Kawasaki toiled away at automotive meeting traces, Waseda College turned a pioneer within the area of humanoid service robots. Waseda researchers experimented with strolling leg prototypes all through the 1960’s and created the primary full humanoid robotic, the Wabot-1, in 1972.
From Waseda College’s Wabot-1 to Toyota’s T-HR3, Japan’s humanoid robots have come a great distance.
1980 turned “12 months one” for Japanese industrial robots
By the 1980’s, Japan’s aggressive energy and modern potential was abundantly clear. This was actually the case for Japan’s robotics business as nicely. Japan’s financial development moderated after the affect of two oil shocks and commerce tensions with the US shifted the calculus of enterprise leaders, however it was nonetheless an period of alternative for Japanese robotic makers as they turned extra unbiased technologically and extra worldwide of their attain.
The speedy enlargement of robotics throughout this period is why Japanese commentators as we speak usually seek advice from 1980 as “12 months one” for robotics.
One of many contributing elements to this enlargement was the change from hydraulic robots to electrical robots. The transition from DC servo motors to AC servo motors and advances in microprocessors made the next diploma of precision doable.6 Professor Hiroshi Makino’s invention of SCARA (Selective Compliance Articulated Robotic Arm) robots was a testomony to Japan’s modern capability. Rising technological prowess helped Japanese robotic makers develop their attain within the 1980’s. Whereas Fanuc relocated to its now somewhat-famous headquarters on the base of Mount Fuji and established a remunerative partnership with Basic Motors, Daifuku expanded into automation for semiconductor fabs and constructed out a presence in Canada, Singapore, and the UK.7,8
Robotics stayed robust amid financial malaise of post-bubble Japan
Japan’s financial miracle misplaced steam after the collapse of its housing bubble in 1991, which kicked off what has come to be generally known as the misplaced 20 years for Japan’s economic system. Knowledge on yearly world provide of robots reveals that robotic makers weren’t unscathed: a sudden drop in 1992 was adopted by two years of stagnation.9 Whereas Japanese corporations tried to recoup misplaced alternatives, the sudden rise of private computer systems and the web drove up demand for semiconductors, which created new alternatives for robotic makers, and gross sales remained robust till the worldwide monetary disaster.
The provision of commercial robots in Japan took successful in the course of the “double punch” of the 2008 Nice Monetary Disaster and 2011 Tohoku Earthquake.
Regardless of challenges from the collapse of Japan’s bubble, the nation’s producers boasted 90% of world robotic gross sales within the Nineties.10 Japan’s home semiconductor business started its relative decline round this era, however development within the world semiconductor business was a boon for Japanese robotics. It turned more and more troublesome for people to work with wafers, or slices of silicon used to fabricate miniature semiconductors, and semiconductor factories wanted immaculate dust-free cleanrooms.
On the subject of demand for industrial robots, the middle of gravity quickly shifted in the direction of China within the early 2000’s because it skilled its personal financial miracle. Most demand for industrial robots as we speak comes from China and Japanese robotic makers have adjusted their methods accordingly.
China is now a serious supply of demand for industrial robots and income for Japanese robotic makers.
Japan maintains dominant place in present robotics panorama
At this time, Japan is a veritable superpower within the area of robotics, with 47% of world robotic manufacturing as of 2020.11 The picture of Japan as a high-tech nation is inseparable from its success in robotics.
Which corporations lead in industrial robotics?
Fanuc, Yaskawa, Kawasaki, Daifuku and SMC are just some of Japan’s leaders in industrial robotics. As of the top of 2020, these 5 corporations had a mixed market capitalization of roughly $120bn. Fanuc and Yaskawa alone have a market share of 29.5% within the world industrial robotic market, as of 2019.12
- Fanuc’s iconic yellow robotic arms will be present in factories world wide. The variety of Fanuc robots made is indicative of its energy; the corporate set an business milestone in Jul 2021 by manufacturing its 750,000th industrial robotic.13 Fanuc’s founder, Dr. Seiuemon Inaba, was a pioneer in numerical management (NC), and computerized numerical management (CNC) continues to be a key element of Fanuc’s enterprise portfolio to this present day, with the corporate holding 50% of the worldwide CNC market as of 2020.14
- Yaskawa began out in 1915 as a producer of electrical motors and that legacy stays a part of its enterprise portfolio in 2021. What actually differentiates Yaskawa is its robust place within the servo motor market, through which it’s a world chief. Servo motors permit machines to rotate and transfer with a excessive diploma of precision, which makes it a key element for a lot of robots. Yaskawa can also be a aggressive producer of robotic arms. Just lately the corporate is pursuing a digitalization technique known as YDX (Yaskawa Digital Transformation).15
- Kawasaki’s fateful partnership with Unimation gave it a first-mover benefit in Japan’s industrial robotic market. Kawasaki stays a frontrunner in robotics to this present day, however it’s not a pure-play robotics firm. Its huge portfolio covers aerospace programs, bikes, and precision equipment amongst different segments.16 Solely 13.2% of its income got here from precision equipment and robotics in FY2020.17 Likewise, Mitsubishi Electrical is a serious participant in robotics, however attracts in a lot of its gross sales from different segments.
- Daifuku is a frontrunner within the area of manufacturing unit automation (FA), significantly intra-factory logistics. Most of Daifuku’s gross sales are derived from storage and transportation programs for factories, manufacturing traces for cleanrooms and car crops, and automatic programs for airports.
Automakers are additionally a aggressive power in robotics
Given the shut ties between robotics and the auto business, it is just pure for some carmakers to have a foothold in robotics. Opposite to what one may count on, these automakers don’t singularly concentrate on robots for car crops.
Honda’s groundbreaking progress in humanoid robots is an effective instance. Honda’s experiments in self-regulating bipedal robots all through the late 80’s and 90’s culminated within the unveiling of ASIMO in 2000. Movies of ASIMO climbing stairs, performing dance strikes and performing as a waiter captivated the general public’s consideration.
In the meantime, the Toyota Analysis Institute (TRI) powers a lot of Toyota’s strides in robotics. A lot of the TRI’s work focuses on collaborative robots that may “increase human talents” by working alongside them.18 A few of TRI’s latest work features a family robotic that hangs from the ceiling, and the T-HR3 humanoid robotic that may gracefully mimic actions of a consumer carrying a management swimsuit.
Japanese corporations boast a worldwide footprint
Factories world wide depend on Japanese robots to automate sure processes and even whole manufacturing traces. As Japanese robotic makers turned extra technologically unbiased within the 80’s, the appreciation of the Japanese yen following the Plaza Accord in 1985 gave them much more of an incentive to maneuver manufacturing overseas.
Fanuc, Daifuku and the robotics division of Kawasaki all have their US headquarters in Michigan. That is no coincidence; Detroit, Michigan was as soon as the guts of car manufacturing in America.
Income breakdown by geography (as of Oct 8, 2021)
- Fanuc: Japan 15.0%, China 33.1%, United States 18.8%, Europe 15.5%
- Daifuku: Japan 34.6%, China 12.6%, Americas 28.6%, South Korea 9.2%
- Kawasaki: Japan 47.3%, Asia 18.6%, United States 21.1%, Europe 9.6%
- Yaskawa: Japan 34.9%, China 25.1%, Americas 15.1%, Europe/Center East/Africa 14.1%19
Will 2021 be “12 months one” for Japanese service robots?
Industrial robots propelled Japan’s financial miracle and will proceed to be paramount in the direction of reviving Japan’s economic system. Nonetheless, the panorama is starting to shift as distinctive social and financial wants drive speedy development in a brand new class: service robots. Simply as 1980 turned 12 months one for industrial robots, 2021 might very nicely develop into 12 months one for service robots in Japan, as they make inroads into areas like healthcare, hospitality, transportation, and home duties.
2020 Olympics meant to be opening of a brand new period
As early as 2014, Japanese policymakers had been already concocting plans to make 2020 the 12 months to showcase the way forward for Japanese robots. Then-Prime Minister Abe even publicly prompt internet hosting a Robotic Olympics alongside the 2020 Olympics. In some respects, it was purported to herald the beginning of a brand new period.
The Ministry of Economic system, Commerce and Business’s (METI) New Robotic Technique, accredited in 2015, explicitly laid out plans to arrange the robotics business for that second. Amongst different issues, METI’s technique emphasised the significance of main the world within the software of robots and integrating robots with the Web of Issues, whereas additionally proposing the thought of a “robotic barrier-free society.” In essence, a “robotic barrier-free society” would imply a dramatic rise in service robots, like care robots in nursing houses, greeter robots in shops and even wearable robots to help with duties like lifting heavy objects.
The surprising shock of the COVID-19 pandemic derailed the unique plans for the Olympics, however even below adversarial circumstances, the world nonetheless had a small glimpse of what such a society might seem like. Toyota developed robotic variations of the Olympics mascots, Miraitowa and Someity, that had been purported to shake arms with and dance in entrance of spectators. In the meantime, Panasonic ready a wearable robotic system that permits customers to simply elevate heavy objects.
Extra attention-grabbing is how the robots on the Olympics showcased the convergence of a number of themes. Toyota’s area help robotic (FSR) makes use of AI to keep away from collision with obstacles, whereas its CUE5 humanoid robotic used AI to attain impressively correct free throws on the basketball court docket.20 Creating the human-friendly robots that Japanese society wants inevitably requires a tactful mixture of AI and cutting-edge {hardware}, each of that are qualities that had been demonstrated by these two robots.
The insurance policies included on this illustration had been principally throughout Prime Minister Abe Shinzo’s tenure
Latest coverage initiatives by the Japanese authorities reveal that they’re conscious of the necessity to help applied sciences adjoining and complementary to robotics. Nowhere is that this clearer than within the Society 5.0 initiative. Proposed in 2016, the initiative states that human society has handed via 4 ranges of growth: a searching society (1.0), an agricultural society (2.0), an industrial society (3.0) and an data society (4.0). The following stage of society is Society 5.0, one through which a confluence of disruptive applied sciences lifts burdens and permit people to dwell to their potential. Within the imaginative and prescient of the long run put forth by Society 5.0, robotics is included alongside developments just like the IoT, huge knowledge, AI, FinTech and autonomous automobiles.21
Distinctive structural headwinds drive want for human-friendly bots
The converging headwinds in Japan of a shrinking labor power, speedy ageing and a scarcity of productiveness are making robots more and more mandatory. Japan’s nice service robotic experiment will set an vital precedent for the quite a few international locations certain to comply with Japan’s demographic developments. Making robots palatable to people might be a vital step in the direction of success within the Society 5.0 experiment.
Because the technology that lived via the financial miracle passes away, much less younger folks might be there to exchange them. This won’t solely shrink the labor power, but additionally create a scenario through which fewer adults should care for extra aged. Robots can mitigate this drawback.
Healthcare and nursing are areas the place service robots have nice potential. Actually, Japan’s Ministry of Well being, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) and METI recognized 13 functions and 6 classes for service robots in nursing. These functions embody robots to help elders in utilizing the restroom, strolling round outdoors and even socializing, and MHLW has insurance policies in place to help the analysis and adoption of those functions.22 Most lately in July 2021, the MHLW began up the NS Matching Platform, which is a platform to match “wants” with “seeds,” or in different phrases to attach care amenities in want of robotic know-how with corporations that may present options.23
The MHLW anticipates the variety of care employees wanted to balloon from 2.33mn to 2.80mn folks between 2023 and 2040.24 Robots will help meet these increasing wants by rising productiveness. The NS Matching Platform is only one means the MHLW plans to advertise their use amongst care employees.
Service robots also can brighten up eating places, inns, shops, and households. Robots that greet clients throughout non-peak hours can ease burdens for retailers. Though nonetheless removed from frequent, extra eating places in Japan are starting to utilize robotic waiters. The combination of robots into day by day life is a key factor of Society 5.0.
Comparatively talking, the Japanese public doesn’t have a robust aversion to robots, however there may be nonetheless a protracted technique to go. Palatability and excessive value tags are obstacles that have to be overcome earlier than service robots can actually take off.
COVID-19 disaster sparks innovation
The pandemic accelerated the adoption of quite a few disruptive applied sciences world wide, and it had important implications for Japan which nonetheless lags behind in digitalization regardless of its high-tech picture. COVID uncovered difficulties in utilizing hanko seals (customized stamps used to signal official paperwork) whereas working remotely. It additionally introduced consideration to extreme reliance on previous know-how, like the usage of fax machines by hospitals to share COVID knowledge. The elevated scrutiny in the direction of out-of-date know-how is changing into an impetus for additional adoption of robotics and automation.
In an period the place folks should cut back contact with one another, robots have a chance to shine. ZMP developed DeliRo, a small four-wheeled robotic that drive across the metropolis to carry-out contactless meals deliveries. In the meantime, Hatapro launched Zukku, a robotic owl that makes use of AI to greet clients and analyze demand for merchandise primarily based on dialogue with them. Kawasaki additionally created a set of robotic arms to deal with PCR exams at airports.
Conclusion
The tailwinds that helped Japan develop into a superpower in robotics had been a sustained financial miracle, the rise of auto manufacturing and post-war labor shortages. In Japan’s first robotics period, the lion’s share of income went to industrial robots. Within the 12 months 2021, Japan is confronted with drastically totally different circumstances. In contrast to the post-war labor shortages, trendy Japan’s labor shortages will come from inhabitants ageing and decline. In the meantime, new applied sciences like AI and the IoT are making it simpler to combine human-friendly robots into day by day life. These elements are more likely to drive the following section of robotics, as service robots develop into more and more built-in into society.
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Footnotes:
1. Kawasaki Heavy Industries, “Half a Century of Kawasaki Robotics,” Jun 2018.
2. Fanuc, “Fanuc Firm Historical past,” as of Oct 10, 2021.
3. Daifuku annual report FY2020
4. Mitsubishi Electrical web site, “100th anniversary: commemorative historical past,” as of Oct 8, 2021.
5. Worldwide Federation of Robotics, “Why Japan leads industrial robotic manufacturing,” Dec 17, 2018.
6. Japan NEDO, “Robotics White Paper,” 2014.
7. Fanuc web site, “Fanuc’s Historical past,” as of Oct 4, 2021.
8. Daifuku web site, “Historical past,” as of Oct 4, 2021.
9. Industrial Robotic, “World Industrial Robots 1997: IFR Statistics 1986-1996 and forecast to 2000,” Feb 1, 1998.
10. JETRO, “Manufacturing Engaging Markets: Industrial Robots,” as of Oct 8, 2021.
11. Worldwide Federation of Robotics, “Robotic Race: The World’s High 10 automated international locations,” Jan 27, 2021.
12. UBS, “Longer Time period Investments: Automation and Robotics,” Feb 26, 2020.
13. Worldwide Federation of Robotics, “Fanuc produces 750000th robotic,” Jul 1, 2021.
14. Nikkei Asia, “Fanuc founder Inaba, king of commercial robots, lifeless at 95,” Oct 6, 2020.
15. Yaskawa Annual Report FY2020.
16. Kawasaki Annual Report FY2020.
17. Bloomberg, as of Oct 7, 2021.
18. Toyota Analysis Institute, as of Oct 8, 2021.
19. Factset, as of Oct 8, 2021.
20. Olympics, “Tokyo 2020 robotic venture: Toyota Motor Company – supporting folks by planting seeds for the long run,” Mar 21, 2021.
21. Authorities of Japan, “Realizing Society 5.0,” as of Oct 8, 2021.
22. Japan Ministry of Well being, Labor and Welfare, “On advancing the event and unfold of care robots,” as of Oct 8, 2021.
23. NS Matching Platform Web site, as of Oct 8, 2021.
24. Japan Ministry of Well being, Labor and Welfare, “Traits in insurance policies for technological growth at care amenities,” Jul 16, 2021.
Initially printed on International X.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the creator and don’t essentially replicate these of Nasdaq, Inc.
