Japanese researchers beseech the government to invest in a robot development plan, with the aim of creating a machine that has the artificial intelligence of a human child.

And while Tokyo’s major investment goal may be practical, robotics is also prestigious, giving Japan’s big technology companies a global showcase for their cutting-edge research capabilities.

The Japanese government is hoping to put the nation at the forefront of robotic research. Here’s a short history of Japan’s most eye-catching androids.

When people around the world think of what Japan does best, robot technology tops the list, beating out anime and washoku Japanese cuisine, according to a survey by advertising giant Dentsu.

Tokyo-based start-up Tsubame Industries has developed a 4.5-metre-tall (14.8-feet), four-wheeled robot that looks like "Mobile Suit Gundam" from the wildly popular Japanese animation series, and ...

Robot technology in Japan is among the most advanced in the world. In particular, Japan is the global leader in the development of humanoid robotics. Waseda University Professor Takanishi Atsuo ...

Japan has eased traffic laws to allow self-driving delivery robots to help labour shortages and reduce the isolation of its aging population.

While the West tends to see robots and artificial intelligence as a threat, Japan takes a more philosophical view.

Japan and the UK are partnering to develop and deploy new automation and robotics techniques for use in both the decommissioning of nuclear plants and the development of nuclear fusion energy. The ...