Japan, Ukraine Trial Remote Operation of Heavy Machinery with Aim to Clear War-Related Debris, Boost Employment

The Yomiuri Shimbun

11:35 JST, October 11, 2025

The Japanese infrastructure ministry conducted a trial on Thursday in which unmanned heavy machinery located in Kobe was remotely operated from Ukraine.

The trial, which connected Japan and Ukraine, is aimed at helping the European country dispose of the massive amounts of debris generated by Russia’s invasion.

Japan’s remotely operable technology is world-class, and the two countries are aiming to utilize it to safely remove the debris while creating employment opportunities for those wounded in the war and women.

Over three and a half years of war have left more than 6 million tons of debris and waste littered across Ukraine, according to the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry and others, and the presence of landmines and unexploded ordnance poses risks during removal work.

The proposal to remove the debris remotely came from the Japanese side. The Ukrainian government expressed interest in the idea, saying it would be effective for restoring the country’s infrastructure quickly and for utilizing its human resources. Those considerations led to the decision to conduct the trial.

The trial was attended by representatives from Japanese companies that offer remotely operable technology and Ukrainian government officials. In the trial, Ukrainian personnel in Kyiv operated a hydraulic excavator located approximately 8,000 kilometers away in the Japanese city, confirming that they could conduct the work precisely.

This marks Japan’s first attempt to export remotely operable technology overseas. An infrastructure ministry official said, “We want to deepen cooperation with the local side for early introduction of the technology.”