Japan turns to robots to tackle labour shortage, stagnation

Tokyo

FACTORY worker Satomi Iwata has new co-workers, a troupe of humanoid automata that are helping to address two of Japan's most pressing concerns - a shortage of labour and a need for growth.

The 19 robots, which cost her employer Glory Ltd about 7.4 million yen (S$81,000) each, have eye-like sensors and two arms that assemble made-to-order change dispensers alongside their human colleagues in a factory employing 370.