Name: Why is Japan obsessed with robots? | CNBC Explains
Uploaded: 2019-02-16T03:25:18.000Z
Duration: 3 min 45 s
Description: Thousands of YouTube videos with English-Chinese subtitles! Now you can learn to understand native speakers, expand your vocabulary, and improve your pronunciation...

At this bank in Tokyo, Nao, Sota, and Pepper are here to help customers and entertain them.

At the airport, this robot is helping passengers to get around.

And at this hotel, this robot is helping guests with directions.

From Shinjuku station and get off at Shibuya station.

Japan is obsessed with robots; walk into a bank, restaurant, or department store, they're starting to work for you.

Wait, what about the threat of automation taking away jobs?

In fact, the prime minister unveiled reforms with hopes the robot market will reach 21 billion dollars by 2020.

To be the largest society in the world supported by robotic technology.

And it's not a matter of efficiency or cost savings as much as it might actually be about survival.

You see, Japan has a chronic labor shortage.

The service sector here accounts for about 70% of Japan's economic output, yet, labor productivity is 40% lower than in the US.

This makes it hard for restaurants to raise wages and puts a strain on the industry sector.

Places like McDonald's are cutting back on the number of 24-hour outlets.

So, economists say Japan either needs to accept more immigrants or bring in the robots.

Which brings us to Japan's second big issue.

Its overall population is now declining at the fastest rate globally, yet people are living longer than ever.

Japan sells more adult diapers than baby diapers every year.

And fewer workers to support an aging population means poor economic growth.

So, robots here are seen much less of a "nice to have" as they are a "must have".

But, also, Japan's cultural acceptance of robots is much higher than most places.

In English, a robot is defined as "a type of programmable machine".

But in Japanese, the technical definition is just "a controllable artificial human".

That could explain why there's so many cute robots being developed.

Or, put another way, cute, controllable, artificial human.

But if you think robots are ready to completely take over, well, think again.

They haven't fully proven themselves just yet.

In fact, two of the robots I tried to visit that had gained global headlines were actually no longer employed.

So, research and development of robots doesn't necessarily mean successful implementation.

But that's not to say that all types aren't at least being tested and even deployed.

He arrived on the market last year and actually replaces your cell phone, doing everything from making calls, snapping a selfie, and he can even use his head as a projector.

Of course, it doesn't fit in your pocket, and it might not be easy to take around with you.

The developers say it's meant to feel like a companion device.