Robots May Be the Key to Solving Japan’s Population Problem

Are robots capable of solving the population problem in Japan? The situation in this country is the opposite of many other Asian nations.

While we see India and China as overpopulated areas with nearly one billion people in each of those countries, Japan has been in a population decline for more than a decade. Add the fact that the labor force has grown older, and you have a serious problem getting things done and continuing to thrive as a nation. This population issue Makes it difficult for Japan to address the challenges on several fronts.

How Does a Declining Population Impact the Workforce?

With fewer people in the country than before, you might think there would be less to do, but that’s not the case at all. The problem facing the current workforce in Japan is that fewer people must now perform more tasks than before. This country is facing serious problems with many men working longer hours than their parents and showing a reluctance to marry and women who are choosing to marry later also working long hours, and some that choose not to marry at all. Many of these young adults are also showing a reluctance to have as many children as their parents, which results in a declining population. For now, the government has rejected the idea of allowing immigration to be a solution to the problem.

What About the Elderly?

The older workforce that is now retired in Japan needs to be cared for. Thankfully, this country is one that shows respect and honor to their elderly, with younger family members caring for their parents until death. While this is certainly honorable and respectful, this is another strain on the already overworked able-bodied adults in Japan.

The solution to both challenges could be found in the use of robots in Japan.

What Tasks Can Robots Perform?

Robots have been used many times in various industries. Most famously, we think of these machines as being able to perform simple, repetitive tasks day after day without getting tired, needing breaks, or wearing down. In America, we have fought against these machines taking some of the jobs that people have done for a long time, but robots just might be the solution to the workforce shortage in Japan.

There’s no denying the fact that simple, repetitive tasks have already been taken over by robots for many years. These machines fill boxes, weld parts, stamp out materials, and do some of the things that are simply repetitive and can be done with programming. To make these machines viable as the solution for the workforce problem in Japan, they will have to become much more advanced than they have in the past.

Experts are Finding Solutions with Deep Learning

Augmented and Artificial Intelligence has become the solutions that have been presented as possibilities to solve the population problem of Japan. The team at Preferred Networks has been working with AI in different forms to teach robots to learn to solve not only challenges that arise on an assembly line, such as a malfunction, but to identify and solve social issues that are part of everyday life.

The programming necessary to allow these machines to interact with people, solve problems, and recognize a situation where a solution is needed has taken years to develop. The Preferred Networks team has developed a large cache of data with various experiences programmed into the algorithms to assist in addressing more problems than simply fixing a machine or addressing a problem in the production process.

Robots Could Help the Elderly in Japan

While we can’t expect machines to diagnose feelings and problems, the advancements in robotics have made life better for many of the elderly residents of Japan. The social aspect of using these machines allows senior citizens to interact with an item that can respond to their inputs, touch, and questions while their offspring are working long hours needed to continue to support the economy of this nation.

In today’s world, we see some of these robots doing things to help groups of seniors every day. If you were to visit this island nation, you might find a humanoid leading a group of older people during exercise that can help keep them feeling strong and alive. There may be other robots that help guide people during walking in gentle, calming voices filled with encouragement and care. These are the social benefits that deep learning can bring to the world of robotics.

A Model of Care for the Aging Population

Leading a group in exercise and taking a person across the street are simple acts that take advanced programming to perform, but this isn’t the limit to the use of robots caring for the elderly in Japan. These machines have the run of the Shin-tomi nursing home in Tokyo. There are 20 different models that are used to care for the residents daily, performing a variety of tasks that would take several unavailable people to perform. The government is hoping this example will become a model for how these robots can be used in other areas of the country.

The Robots are Made to Look and Act Friendly

Thinking of the same machines that stamp out parts in a factory as the ones that care for your elderly grandmother might be a jarring and scary thought. Thankfully, the robots being used to care for the elderly are created to be friendlier and look much more like Baymax from Big Hero 6, which was a robot made to offer care and healing to the characters of the story. In Japan, robots that are programmed to care for the elderly are viewed as positive, friendly, and a way for these citizens to receive the care they need without stressing out the workforce further.

Expect that this country will find many ways to continue to utilize robotics to augment the workforce that is overworked at the moment. This is the current solution that Japan is using to solve the social population problems it’s currently facing.