Japanese Govt Sets New Goal of Multipurpose Humanoid Robots in Moonshot Research and Development Program by 2030

The Yomiuri Shimbun

1:00 JST, September 29, 2025

The Cabinet Office plans to make developing multipurpose humanoid robots a new goal under one of its research and development programs, according to sources.

The government hopes that such robots will be able to work in households, manufacturing plants and disaster-hit areas, among other locations.

The aim is to develop a prototype capable of handling tasks with human assistance by 2030, as a way of laying the foundations for the technology. The prototype, when it is produced, is expected to motivate private-sector companies to invest in the field and encourage more studies of AI.

The program, called the Moonshot Research and Development Program, supports studies aimed at positively changing the nation’s social structure. Under the program, which started in 2020, the government sets various goals and solicits pitches for research and development projects. Accepted projects are supported for up to 10 years using funds from a pool of about ¥400 billion.

Currently, there are 10 goals, including controlling and modifying weather, such as typhoons and torrential rains, and for people to enjoy living to 100 years old without health concerns.

The new goal will be revised to developing robots that can coexist with humans.

The program has previously supported robot development, including non-humanoid types. The new goal, however, focuses solely on humanoid types, with the government eyeing robots that have the same physical capabilities as humans or higher and that can make decisions autonomously through learning.

By the end of this fiscal year, the Cabinet Office will publicly seek leaders to head the research teams that will pursue the new goal.

In the background of the new goal, progress in the development of artificial intelligence is making multipurpose humanoid robots more and more feasible.

Robots are widely used mainly in industrial settings but only for specific purposes, and there are limits on how they can be utilized. As buildings and tools are generally designed for human use, humanoid robots would be suitable at all sites without the need for specialization.

By setting the goal, the government aims to give a boost to Japan’s research and development in the field, as competition to develop similar robots is heating up overseas, particularly in the United States and China.

In the United States, Tesla Inc. has developed a type of humanoid robot named Optimus. The major manufacturer of electric vehicles plans to mass-produce the robot next year at the earliest.

The Chinese government also regards humanoid robots as an important battleground with the United States as Beijing seeks a hegemony on advanced technologies. The Asian country is rapidly making progress in the field as it tries to address the labor shortages it sees in its future.

“As progress is happening faster than our initial assumption, we revised the goal to a more ambitious one,” said official of the Cabinet Office. “We want to advance robot technologies, which are one of Japan’s strengths.”