THG News · Policy

Japan's METI Launches ¥180B Humanoid Elder-Care Program

June 23, 2026

Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) announced a ¥180 billion ($1.15B) subsidy program on June 23 to accelerate humanoid robot deployment in elder-care settings. The program targets 5,000 nursing facilities by 2028, addressing the country's acute caregiver shortage.

Funding covers up to 60% of equipment cost for facilities. Eligible platforms include SoftBank's new Pepper-2, Toyota's HSR-3, Kawasaki's Kaleido, and qualified foreign humanoids (Figure, 1X, Apptronik) with Japanese integration partners.

The program is part of Japan's broader "Society 5.0" robotics strategy and is expected to be a model for similar programs in South Korea, Italy, and Germany — all countries facing rapidly aging populations.