Japan Airlines Deploys Humanoid Robots at Haneda Airport as Labour Shortages Intensify

JAL Turns to Humanoid Robots Amid Workforce Crisis

Japan Airlines (JAL) has launched a two-year trial of humanoid robots for ground operations at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, partnering with GMO AI & Robotics to automate tasks including baggage loading and cabin cleaning — a direct response to a deepening labour crisis compounding the aviation sector’s post-pandemic recovery.

The trial, which commenced in May, comes as surging inbound tourism collides with a structurally shrinking Japanese workforce. International arrivals rose 3.5% year-on-year in March, according to Japan’s National Tourism Organization, intensifying pressure on airport operations already strained by demographic decline.

The Robots on the Tarmac

A video demonstration of the technology shows a humanoid robot — manufactured by Chinese firm Unitree — sliding a payload across a conveyor belt, waving to onlookers, and shaking a coworker’s hand. The footage illustrates both the promise and the current limitations of the technology.

Whether Unitree is directly contracted for the Haneda trial or is simply part of a broader evaluation of commercially available platforms remains unclear. JAL told CNBC that “feasibility studies and risk assessments” are ongoing. Unitree did not respond to requests for comment.

Unitree is among China’s most prominent robotics firms. In February, it debuted its flagship H1 model at China’s Spring Festival Gala in a kung fu demonstration. In March, the Hangzhou-based company became the first in its sector to receive IPO approval on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, targeting a raise of approximately 4.2 billion yuan (S$780 million).

Demographic Pressure Drives the Agenda

Japan’s working-age population is projected to fall by 31% between 2023 and 2060, according to the OECD. The country’s fertility rate and aging population have created a structural labour deficit that immigration policy has done little to address — and shows little political will to resolve.

Marc Einstein, research director at Counterpoint Research, expects the Japanese government to “very much encourage the deployment of humanoids,” particularly under a leadership base premised on restrictive immigration policy.

In March, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry published guidelines on deploying robotics and AI to counter workforce challenges, citing “decreasing labour caused by a declining birthrate and aging population” as a primary driver.

Barclays, in a January research note, identified the structural forces at play: “Aging populations, labour 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.”

A Market With Trillion-Dollar Ambitions

The financial stakes are considerable. Barclays characterises physical robotics as the “next frontier” in AI development, where physical automation converges with artificial intelligence. The bank estimates the physical AI industry — currently valued at $2 billion to $3 billion — could reach $1.4 trillion by 2035.

Physical AI encompasses systems that combine machine learning with hardware capable of performing real-world tasks, from humanoid robots to autonomous vehicles. Chinese firms including Unitree, Agibot (Zhiyuan Robotics), and Galbot are racing to scale affordable humanoid development and are exploring IPOs to fund expansion.

Significant Hurdles Remain

Despite the commercial momentum, analysts are measured about near-term impact. Humanoid robots still lack the dexterity required for delicate or precision tasks, and the underlying programming and reasoning capabilities remain underdeveloped, Einstein said.

“These robots, they’re just not very smart yet,” he told CNBC.

The deployment of humanoid systems at Haneda will likely require sustained human supervision, Einstein added. Full autonomy for complex operational environments remains a medium-term proposition at best.

Counterpoint Research estimates that larger-scale deployment could be five years away, contingent on continued advances in joint dexterity, AI reasoning, and cost reduction. For JAL, the two-year Haneda trial will serve as a critical stress test of whether humanoid technology can move from demonstration to operational reality.