Autonomous mobile robots could help alleviate a looming labor shortage in Japan.
TOKYO—Japan will face a labor shortage next year when new overtime regulations for truck drivers come into force. This is being called the “2024 problem,” and the country’s manufacturers are hoping robots and automation can alleviate the issue.
“The government’s overtime cap is an important step to improve working conditions for employees,” says Takayuki Ito, vice president of the International Federation of Robotics. “Industrial and service robots deliver great solutions to automate. Robots relieve workers of dirty, dull and dangerous work and help to close productivity gaps.”