In Japan, the robot isn’t coming for your job; it’s filling the one nobody wants

Driven by labor shortages, Japan is pushing physical AI from pilot projects into real-world deployment.

Physical AI is emerging as one of the next major industrial battlegrounds, with Japan’s push driven more by necessity than anything else. With workforces shrinking and pressure mounting to sustain productivity, companies are increasingly deploying AI-powered robots across factories, warehouses, and critical infrastructure.

Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said in March 2026 that it aims to build a domestic physical AI sector and capture a 30% share of the global market by 2040. The country already holds a strong position in industrial robotics, with Japanese manufacturers accounting for about 70% of the global market in 2022, according to the ministry.

Based on conversations with investors and industry executives, TechCrunch explored what’s driving that shift, how Japan’s approach differs from the U.S. and China, and where value is likely to emerge as the technology matures.