Japan Robotic Industry Faltering

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The robots industry in Japan is suffering during this recession, and projections of one million industrial robots to be operating by 2025 doesn't really have a chance of happening now.

As of 2005, close to 370,000 robots worked at factories all over Japan.

Even with the slowdown, a large number of robots in Japan, which are the most in the world, have been shut down because of the global financial meltdown.

In the first quarter alone robot industrial shipments fell by almost 60 percent, Japan's largest industrial robot maker Yaskawa said sales have dropped by about 66 percent to around $72 million, and is projecting a loss for the year.

Of course during times like these the industrial sector in general is expected to be hit hard, so industrial robots unsurprisingly have followed suit.

Other robotic sectors aren't doing as bad though, as the Japanese mobile service robot sector is doing better, which is being looked to to provide security, safety and service for the purpose of improving distribution and manufacturing channels in Japan.

Another robotic area that should continue to do well is in the medical and health arena, where Japan has invested heavily in personal robots to help care for the elderly.

Still, even with the slowdown, the Japanese government is projecting about $26 billion in domestic robot sales by 2010, and close to $70 billion by 2025.

Robots Robotics