Domestic General-Purpose Robot Development Competition: Report on Prototype Exhibition / Demonstration and Panel Session

AIRoA is conducting the Domestic General-Purpose Robot Development Competition as part of a commissioned project of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). On Wednesday, September 16, 2026, during the “Physical AI Summit (Presented by NexTech Week)” held at Palace Hotel Tokyo (organized by RX Japan Ltd., supported by AIRoA), AIRoA hosted prototype exhibitions and demonstrations, corporate presentations, and a panel session featuring the selected participants of the competition.

1. Event Highlights

(1) Prototype Exhibition / Demonstration & Corporate Presentations

Selected participants exhibited prototype robots developed over approximately six months and delivered corporate presentations. The venue welcomed attendees from domestic robotics and AI-related companies, research institutions, and members of the press, with lines forming at the prototype exhibition and demonstration area. At each booth, developers engaged directly with visitors, resulting in lively exchanges about the potential of domestic general-purpose robots.

(2) Panel Session

Theme: “Current Supply Chain Challenges for Domestic Robotics, and Expectations and Requests for the Government and Industry”

During the panel session, featuring the four selected competition participants and moderated by AIRoA Secretary General Ryutaro Okada,  the panelist held candid discussions on industrial challenges and future prospects for the social implementation of Physical AI, including ROI feasibility, establishing safety guidelines, and component standardization.

(3) Message from Chairman Ogata

During his address and remarks at the event, AIRoA Chairman Tetsuya Ogata also commented on the significance of the competition and the outlook for the domestic supply chain in Physical AI:

“Improving the performance of Physical AI requires the collection and utilization of large-scale, high-quality data. However, it is not easy for a single company to collect robot data on a massive scale. AIRoA’s initiative as a non-profit organization to build open datasets is a key breakthrough in solving this challenge. In July this year, we publicly released a 5,000-hour dataset utilizing mobile manipulators. The selected participants developed their prototypes in just about six months, demonstrating impressive drive and dedication.

Japan has a strong track record in hardware—whether in automobiles, home appliances, or rockets—always catching up and producing world-class technology. I am confident that the same will hold true for Physical AI. The key is not simply taking existing robots and making them smarter with AI, but rather having talent with a deep understanding of AI design and develop entirely new hardware from scratch from scratch. Those driving this forward are none other than the Japanese manufacturing experts who truly understand the essence of hardware. Building upon the technology, insights, and networks established through this competition, let us pioneer this field with industry, academia, and government working as one.”

2. Future Outlook

AIRoA will continue to promote the social implementation of Physical AI and build an open ecosystem, with collaboration among industry, academia, and government at the core of its efforts. Building on the technologies, knowledge, and networks cultivated through this competition, AIRoA will accelerate the strengthening of Japan’s general-purpose robotics supply chain and the co-evolution of related technologies. At the same time, AIRoA will work to ensure that the outcomes of the NEDO-funded project are widely shared and contribute to society.

About the Domestic General-Purpose Robot Development Competition 

This competition is being carried out as part of the following METI-and NEDO- commissioned project:

Project for Strengthening Post-5G Information and Communication Systems Infrastructure / Development of a Data Platform for Generative AI Foundation Models in the Robotics Field.

The project aims to develop a data collection platform needed for robot foundation model development, and the domestic general-purpose robots developed through this competition are expected to be used as robots for data collection.

For more information:https://www.nedo.go.jp/koubo/CD3_100398.html

Contact Information

Domestic General-Purpose Robot Development Competition Secretariat

E-mail: hw.comp@airoa.org