IFR: Japan ranks as top country for industrial robot manufacturing

Japan is the world´s number one industrial robot manufacturer, delivering 45% of the global supply in recent years, according to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).

IFR explained that the country’s robot suppliers have increased their production capacity considerably: their export ratio rose to 78% in 2020, when 136,069 industrial robots were shipped. These are results were published by IFR ahead of the International Robot Exhibition (iREX) in Tokyo, March 09 to 12, 2022.

“Exports of Japanese industrial robots on average had a compound annual growth rate of 6% in the last five years”, says Milton Guerry, President of the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). “At the same time, imports of robots have always been extremely low. In 2020, only 2% of Japanese installations were imported. The domestic Japanese robot market is the second largest in the world after China.”

IFR added that 36% of the Japanese exports of robotics and automation technology were destined for China. Like other international robot suppliers, Japanese manufacturers also serve the Chinese market directly from their factories in China. These factories in the world’s largest market for industrial robots proved to be a major advantage in 2020, when international supply chains were disrupted due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Japanese suppliers were able to benefit comprehensively from the Chinese post-crisis boom that started in the second quarter of 2020 and gained momentum in the second half of the year.

With a market share of 22%, the United States is the other top market for Japanese exports of robotics and automation technology. Both countries – the US and China - are expected to further rebound from the Covid-19 pandemic. Together with the domestic market, the major export destinations will secure demand for Japanese robotics.