Japan turns to AI robots amid labour shortagesTransportation equipment makers lead AI robot adoptionMajority say cash holdings decision should be left to each firm<\/p>\n
TOKYO, May 21 (Reuters) – One-third of Japanese companies are already using or considering deploying AI-powered robots, with automakers and other transportation equipment manufacturers \u200bleading the way, a Reuters survey showed on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The Japanese government expects the introduction of AI robots into the workplace \u200cto be key in coping with the country’s chronic labour shortage and cementing its position as a leading industrial robot supplier.<\/p>\n
Sign up here.<\/a><\/p>\n Home to Fanuc (6954.T), opens new tab<\/a>, Yaskawa Electric (6506.T), opens new tab<\/a> and Kawasaki Heavy Industries (7012.T), opens new tab<\/a>, Japan has been a global powerhouse in conventional industrial robotics.<\/p>\n But it now faces tougher competition from China and the United States in AI-enabled robots, which have a \u200bcertain degree of autonomy to judge their environment and choose their action accordingly, rather than just repeating pre-defined tasks.<\/p>\n About 4% of respondents \u200bare already using AI robots, 5% plan to deploy them, and 25% are considering doing so, while the \u2060remaining 66% have no such plans, the survey showed.<\/p>\n Transportation equipment makers are the most aggressive adopters of AI-equipped robots, with 80% already using them \u200bor looking into utilising them. By contrast, 94% of respondents in the wholesale sector have no plan to deploy AI robots.<\/p>\n Among the pool of \u200brespondents who are already using, planning to use or considering using AI robots, 71% chose manufacturing as a specific usage, 19% picked tasks with certain danger and 11% selected customer-facing services.<\/p>\n The poll question allowed multiple answers.<\/p>\n The poll was conducted by Nikkei Research for Reuters from May 1-15. Nikkei Research reached out to 492 companies, of which \u200b220 responded on the condition of anonymity.<\/p>\n CASH HOARDING?<\/p>\n Asked about a government guideline urging listed companies to effectively use financial assets they hold that have \u200bincreased in value to drive growth, 60% of respondents said individual firms’ decision on the matter should be respected and 44% said corporate size should be \u200ctaken into \u2060consideration in applying such a policy.<\/p>\n Also, 24% said keeping a certain level of financial assets is necessary to make wage hikes possible. The question also allowed multiple answers.<\/p>\n The Financial Services Agency and the Tokyo Stock Exchange last month compiled a draft revision to Japan’s corporate governance code, asking companies to make sure financial and other assets are being used efficiently for growth.<\/p>\n Cash and deposits held by Japanese companies with capital of 1 billion yen ($6.9 \u200bmillion) or more, excluding financial and \u200binsurance firms, totalled 83 trillion \u2060yen in 2024, up 54% from a decade earlier, raising questions about whether the assets could be better used to spur growth.<\/p>\n “What the draft revision is calling for is to make checks and explain if business resources \u200bare at appropriate levels. A rise and fall in cash and deposits itself should not come under \u200bscrutiny,” an official at \u2060a ceramics maker wrote in the survey.<\/p>\n The draft revision also encouraged listed firms to submit securities reports at least three weeks ahead of general meetings of shareholders.<\/p>\n Last year, about 58% of companies whose financial year ends in March submitted securities reports ahead of general shareholders’ meetings, but 80% of those who \u2060did so \u200bturned in their reports just one or two days prior to the meetings.<\/p>\n Asked if \u200bsubmitting securities reports at least three weeks ahead of shareholders’ meetings is possible, 33% said hitting the target would be burdensome and difficult, while 26% said they would need to \u200btake steps such as pushing back the dates of shareholders’ meetings to comply with the guideline.<\/p>\n ($1 = 158.9200 yen)<\/p>\n Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Christian Schmollinger<\/p>\n Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab<\/a><\/p>\n