While humanoid robots from China and the US have captured the imagination of people for their skill at serving drinks, taking part in boxing matches and running marathons, and entertaining through dance moves on stage, their counterparts in Japan – the long-time leader of the robotics world – are mostly confined to factories. Japan’s early forays into humanoids date back to the 1960s, so what happened along the way? At the 26th International Robot Exhibition (IREX), a four-day, biennial industry showcase held early December at Tokyo Big Sight, Japan’s domestic industrial robotics heavyweights – including Kawasaki, Fanuc, Yaskawa and Nachi – still dominated, occupying the largest booths. Massive robotic arms could be seen swinging around with precision, simulating welding, assembly and material handling tasks in real-world factory operations.

Full commentary : Why Japan’s robotic pioneers are ceding the humanoid stage to China and the US?