Japan, unlike the West, is not scared of robots stealing jobs, deputy leader says

By Nyshka Chandran

Unlike many of their Western counterparts, Japanese workers aren’t afraid of robots stealing their jobs, a top-ranking official from the country says.

Japan’s labour force do not mind robots in factories because they’re seen as a source of help, Japanese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Taro Aso said in a panel discussion at the Asian Development Bank’s annual gathering in Manila.

“The Western way of thinking is ‘robots will steal my job,’ but in Japan, robots will reduce the ordinary man’s load,” he continued, referencing famous Japanese comics such as “Astro Boy” and “Doraemon” in which robots are always helping people.