Japan is running out of workers, and robots are stepping in. A shrinking population and labor shortages are pushing businesses to embrace automation at an unprecedented scale. Research firm Fuji Keizai projects that Japan’s service robot market will nearly triple by 2030, reaching ¥400 billion ($2.7 billion).
The numbers tell the story. By 2040, Japan is expected to face an 11-million-worker shortfall. Meanwhile, nearly 40% of the population will be 65 or older by 2065. The solution? More machines doing what humans used to.
One industry leading the charge is restaurants. Skylark, Japan’s largest table-service restaurant chain, has deployed around 3,000 cat-eared robots to assist with serving food. At a Tokyo location, 71-year-old Yasuko Tagawa estimates that half of her job now involves working alongside these machines.
The shift isn’t just about convenience—it’s survival. Businesses need workers, and robots don’t take sick days, demand raises, or join unions. As the aging crisis worsens, expect to see more industries turning to automation.
At one point, Tagawa even spoke to a robot, saying, “Thanks for your hard work. I’ll be counting on you.” Whether she meant it sincerely or was just humoring the machine, one thing is clear—Japan’s robotic workforce is here to stay.
Five Fast Facts
- Japan has the highest robot density in the world, with 399 robots per 10,000 employees in the manufacturing sector.
- Skylark Group operates over 3,000 restaurants across Japan, making it one of the largest dining chains in the country.
- Tokyo has more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other city in the world.
- The first humanoid robot was built in Japan in 1972 by Waseda University.
- Japan’s birth rate hit a record low in 2023, with fewer than 800,000 babies born for the first time in recorded history.
