"No one’s raising their hand": Japan’s labor crisis is making the case for robots taking the jobs you don’t want

Japan is running out of workers. Its population declined for a 14th straight year in 2024; its working-age population is projected to shrink by nearly 15M over the next two decades; and a 2024 Reuters/Nikkei survey found that labor shortages are the primary force pushing Japanese firms toward automation and AI adoption. Last month, the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry said it was looking to build a domestic physical AI sector, with hopes of holding 30% of the global market by 2040.