Thank you for starting this thread on Japanese robotics. Before we dive into the high-stakes field of combat robotics, I’d like to provide some context on the current state of humanoid technology in Japan.
As you mentioned, now that Prime Minister Takaichi has secured an overwhelming majority in the Diet, investments in robotics and the space industry are accelerating. This could be the spark that helps Japan’s Big Tech firms regain their momentum. However, we must realistically assess Japan's current global standing in terms of technological prowess.
As recent news suggests, Japan has suffered significant defeats against the US and China in software-centric fields, particularly in Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) and neural networks. This gap won’t be easy to close, and it stems from a clear failure to commit fully to DRL investment in the past.
That said, Japan is by no means lacking in engineers capable of researching and developing these models. Numerous startups are pursuing humanoid development, alongside giants like Murata Manufacturing, Honda, and SoftBank. In fact, some companies have already succeeded in developing fairly impressive models.
You might feel that Japanese companies are surprisingly quiet about their technological milestones. Part of this is simply because some startups are still in their early stages, but a much larger factor is the extreme secrecy of major corporations. For instance, Honda—the creator of ASIMO—is notoriously tight-lipped; even their announcement regarding a small reusable rocket came completely out of the blue. Another reason for the lack of public updates is that companies like Murata are aiming for disaster-relief humanoids. Because the stakes are so high for such life-saving applications, the development hurdles are naturally steeper and require more time to clear.
As a side note, Murata Manufacturing plans to build a prototype of a small robot (about 120 cm tall) by March 2026. Following that, they aim to develop a disaster-response humanoid by the end of 2026, standing 250 cm tall and capable of lifting over 50 kg.
