Japan Airlines to trial robots at Tokyo’s Haneda airport to load baggage
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 7: A Japan Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner departs Los Angeles International Airport en route to Tokyo on March 7, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images)
Kevin Carter | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Japan Airlines began testing humanoid robots for ground operations at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport amid chronic labor shortages.
The airline is partnering with GMO AI & Robotics to trial robots for tasks such as baggage loading and cabin cleaning starting in May, according to a joint statement Monday.
The initiative comes as Japan’s aviation sector struggles with rising tourism demand and a shrinking workforce, driven by an aging population.
Japan Airlines said the humanoid robots are expected to be deployed progressively across Haneda Airport, with the trial lasting for two years.
In a video demonstration of the technology, a humanoid robot produced by China’s Unitree can be seen sliding a payload across a conveyor belt, waving to onlookers, and shaking a coworker’s hand.
Shares of Japan Airlines rose 3.4% in the first trading day of May, but were trading around 13% lower so far this year.
Unitree, one of China’s leading robotics firms, debuted its flagship H1 model in a Kung Fu demonstration at China’s Spring Festival Gala in February to much fanfare.
It is, however, unclear whether Unitree is directly involved in the Haneda Airport trial or is part of a broader evaluation of commercially available humanoid technologies. In a response to CNBC’s queries, Japan Airlines said that “feasibility studies and risk assessments” were ongoing.
Unitree did not respond to CNBC’s requests for comment.
Meeting demographic challenges
Analysts say demographic trends such as rapidly aging populations and lower fertility rates — typical of metropoles like Tokyo — are driving demand for humanoid robotics.
“Aging populations, labor shortages, and shifting worker preferences are opening the door for humanoids to take on essential – yet often undesirable – roles in manufacturing, logistics, agriculture, healthcare, and hospitality,” Barclays wrote in a January research note.
Japan’s working-age population is projected to decline by 31% from 2023 to 2060, according to an employment outlook by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Marc Einstein, research director from Counter Research, expects humanoid robots to play an increasing role in Japan’s workforce.
With Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s support base premised on tougher immigration policies, Einstein expects the government to “very much encourage the deployment of humanoids in Japan.”
In March, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry published guidelines on the use of robotics and artificial intelligence to address workforce challenges, including “decreasing labor caused by a declining birthrate and aging population.”
Data from Japan’s National Tourism Organization showed international arrivals
Read More: Japan Airlines to trial robots at Tokyo’s Haneda airport to load baggage