Japan embraces robotics to tackle ageing population problem

Japan's ageing population and a low labour force growth rate has pushed it to embrace technology and robotics at a much faster pace than others.  

A hotel staffed by robots and one that folds clothes are just a few examples of how the country is taking to technology. And now there's a robot that helps with childcare as well.

"The robot can help busy parents, especially when children don't listen. That's when the robot says something like 'I'm sleepy, let's go to bed', or 'I need to go to the bathroom, can you show me the way' and asks for the child's help,” said Cocotto Developer Yusaku Ota.

“Children learn to take care of the robot, which helps teach good habits and consideration of others," he said.

While in other parts of the world people worry about robots taking jobs, in Japan there's no such fear.

"This is like asking people whether smartphones made people lose their jobs or for example washers and dryers made people lose their jobs. Maybe some people lost their jobs but it probably created more opportunities so this is something robot technology will make," said Shin Sakane, president and CEO of Seven Dreamers Laboratories.

TRT World's Joel Flynn take a look at how Japan is embracing tech.