Baggage bots: Chinese humanoid robots roll into Japan’s airports amid labour shortage
Chinese-made humanoids are being deployed at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport as Japan’s aviation industry struggles with a shrinking workforce
China-made humanoid robots are beginning to gain traction in Japan, with models from Chinese firms Unitree and UBTech being deployed by Japan Airlines for baggage and cargo handling, highlighting the growing adoption of Chinese robotics technology as Japan grapples with acute labour shortages.
Japan Airlines said last week that it would launch a two-year trial using humanoid robots for ground-handling operations at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport through a partnership with GMO AI & Robotics.
Tasks in the trial would include aircraft towing, baggage and cargo loading and unloading, as well as cabin cleaning, according to a joint statement.
The experiment is scheduled to begin this month and continue through 2028.
According to reports by Asia Business Daily and CNBC, the trial would use Unitree’s G1 humanoid robot and UBTech’s Walker E model.
Hangzhou-based Unitree and Shenzhen-based UBTech did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Wednesday.
Unitree’s G1 stands about 1.3 metres tall and weighs roughly 35kg. The robot is designed with agile movement capabilities suited to industrial operations and logistics handling. UBTech’s Walker E is a humanoid robot that stands 1.72 metres tall and weighs 73kg.