According to a recent data of The International Federation of Robotics, in 2022 industrial robot installations in Japan saw a significant increase of +9%, reaching a total of 50,413 units. This surpassed the pre-pandemic level of 49,908 units in 2019, positioning Japan as the second-largest market for industrial robots globally, just behind China. Japan also holds the distinction of being a major industrial robot manufacturing country, boasting a substantial 46% share of the global market.
Japanese robot exports hit a new peak in 2022, with 207,737 units, marking a 12% increase over the previous peak in 2021. The export ratio rose by 1 percentage point to reach 81%. In contrast, Japanese imports of robots remained notably low, with only 1,343 units imported in 2022, representing a mere 3% of the total installations.
Japanese robot suppliers have considerably expanded their production capacity in recent years, often serving the Chinese market directly from factories within China. They have also established production sites in other countries, capitalizing on the Chinese post-crisis boom that began in the second quarter of 2020. Exports from Japan surged by 21% to ¥496 billion (US$3.8 billion), reaching a new peak value in 2022.
Domestic production of industrial robots in Japan also achieved a new record level in 2022, totaling 256,807 units, an 11% increase over the previous year and reflecting a consistent 4% average annual growth from 2017 to 2022. It’s important to note that this production figure pertains only to domestic production and does not encompass production sites abroad.
Looking ahead, while the Japanese economy faces challenges such as rising energy prices, increased costs of raw materials due to a weaker yen, and reduced demand from major export destinations like the USA and China, the robotics industry in Japan may benefit from the weakening yen, making Japanese exports more competitive. Additionally, the Japanese government has taken measures to enhance the country’s resilience to disruptions in international trade.
China continues to be the dominant player in the global industrial robot market, with installations growing by 5% in 2022, reaching a new high of 290,258 units. This marks 52% of all installations worldwide. The operational robot stock in China crossed the 1.5-million-unit mark in 2022, further highlighting the rapid modernization of the Chinese economy.
In China, the electrical and electronics industry accounted for 35% of total robot installations in 2022, with the sector installing 100,320 units, a 7% increase from the previous year. Globally, the Chinese electronics industry represented 64% of installations in this sector, and Chinese manufacturers supplied 41% of these robots. The automotive industry in China also experienced robust growth, with installations reaching 73,363 units in 2022, a 26% increase, and accounting for 54% of global installations in the automotive sector. Chinese manufacturers supplied 17% of robots in the Chinese automotive industry.
However, robot installations in the metal and machinery industry in China declined by 16% to 30,932 units in 2022, making up 11% of total installations in the country. Chinese robot suppliers held a dominant market share of 77% in this segment.
Looking ahead, despite reports of a slowing Chinese economy, turnover growth in Asia, heavily influenced by the Chinese market, remains strong. Many orders from 2022 are expected to be shipped in 2023 due to extended lead times.
| Metric | Japan | China | Global |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial robot installations (2022) | 50,413 | 290,258 | 540,625 |
| Industrial robot production (2022) | 256,807 | N/A | N/A |
| Industrial robot exports (2022) | 207,737 | N/A | N/A |
| Industrial robot imports (2022) | 1,343 | N/A | N/A |
| Industrial robot operational stock (2022) | 393,326 | >1,500,000 | >3,500,000 |
| Industrial robot market share (2022) | 9% | 52% | 100% |
Additional notes:
- Japan is the second-largest market for industrial robots globally, just behind China.
- Japan is also a major industrial robot manufacturing country, boasting a substantial 46% share of the global market.
- Japanese robot exports hit a new peak in 2022, with 207,737 units, marking a 12% increase over the previous peak in 2021.
- China continues to be the dominant player in the global industrial robot market, with installations growing by 5% in 2022, reaching a new high of 290,258 units. This marks 52% of all installations worldwide.
- The operational robot stock in China crossed the 1.5-million-unit mark in 2022, further highlighting the rapid modernization of the Chinese economy.
