Many people all around the world are afraid of having their jobs stolen by robots. A report conducted by the McKinsey Global Institute estimates that automation will eliminate 39 to 73 million US jobs by 2030. While the people whose jobs are at risk might see automation and robots as a curse, there are some countries who might see it as a blessing – countries such as Japan.
As you may know, Japan is known for being the ‘oldest country in the world’. More than 20% of the Japanese population is over 65 years old, the highest proportion in the world. By 2030 this proportion will have grown to over 33%. There are two fundamental reasons for Japans ageing population: increasing life expectancy and a declining fertility rate. While the number of retired Japanese is growing, there are not enough young people to fill this void. Japan is particularly expected to face big issues when it comes to healthcare and long-term care. Due to the shrinking workforce, there is a reasonable risk that there will not be enough healthcare professionals to deliver the needed care.
The solution for this problem could be closer than one might think. Apart from being the oldest country in the world, Japan is also known as the world’s leading ‘Robot Nation’. In 2012 Japan made up nearly 50% of the total global market share in the export of robots. Japanese nursing homes are now experimenting with different kinds of robots that support staff in taking care of their patients. Robotic animals are used as therapy for dementia and loneliness while other robots help nurses to lift heavy patients out of bed.
Japan is not the only country that encounters these demographic issues. Western countries are also facing a shrinking workforce and aging population in the future. While robots are commonly accepted in Japan, Western pop culture often depicts robots as dangerous machines that could revolt against humanity. US- and EU-citizens might not be too eager to welcome robots into their nursing homes. What would you do? Would you let a robot take care of your loved ones?
References:
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/332468#:~:text=A%20recently%20released%20report%20conducted,loss%2C%20perhaps%20without%20knowing%20it.
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/09/elderly-oldest-population-world-japan/
https://www.eoswetenschap.eu/gezondheid/wereldwijde-vergrijzing
https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/whyutokyo/wj_003.html#:~:text=In%20recent%20years%2C%20robotics%20has,and%20number%20of%20operating%20units.
https://www.wired.com/story/ideas-joi-ito-robot-overlords/
