Rakuten Launches Unmanned Delivery Service in Tokyo’s Harumi Area; Delivering from Starbucks, Yoshinoya, Bunka-do

The Yomiuri Shimbun

20:24 JST, November 8, 2024

Rakuten Group has launched an unmanned delivery service of food and other items using robots in Tokyo’s Harumi district and nearby areas. Customers order items from partner supermarkets and eateries via a dedicated smartphone site, and the robots deliver to 62 designated locations, including parks, offices and condominiums.

This is the first time Rakuten has provided an unmanned delivery service in Tokyo, and the company plans to gradually expand the areas and stores covered by the service.

The service, which began on Wednesday, covers the entire Harumi area, as well as parts of Tsukishima and Kachidoki areas. More than 5,300 food and daily necessities can be ordered from nearby Starbucks Coffee, Yoshinoya and Bunka-do supermarket locations. A delivery fee of 100 yen is charged in addition to the cost of the items.

The robots will automatically travel along set routes but will be controlled remotely at locations such as crosswalks.