Japan shows off new technology as G20 leaders gather in Osaka
- Robotic hands and machines for cleaning up space go on display at International Exhibition Centre
- Event designed to show ‘innovation can help drive economic growth’
As leaders from around the world gathered for the G20 summit in Osaka on Thursday, some of Japan’s newest tech products went on display at the same venue.
Nearly 20 products, including robotic hands, civil aircraft and a machine for removing debris from space – several of which have never been seen outside Japan – went on show at the International Exhibition Centre.
“Innovation is the capacity to solve a wide range of issues that have a major impact on the world economy,” said a board advertising the event in the Innovation Lounge.
“Japan will become the first nation in the world to prove and demonstrate that innovation can maintain growth despite a declining population. At the same time, innovation will also be essential in solving global scale environmental issues to allow the realisation of sustainable growth,” it said.
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kano visited the exhibition and was all smiles as he tried out the products on show. He spent about an hour chatting to the exhibitors in a sign of the government’s commitment to innovation.
Masahiro Kasuya, chief executive of tech company Meltin, said the G20 summit was a good opportunity to promote Japanese products. He said he hoped the robotic hand his company had developed, which can be used in places like power plants and construction sites where conditions might be too dangerous for people, “could be known by more people worldwide”.