10/82 ROBOT STANDARDS LABOR MINISTRY SEEKS STRONGER STANDARDS

Due to concerns over injuries and deaths related to robots. the Labor Ministry has requested a twentyfold increase for its activities related to robots from 60 million yen in the current fiscal year to 1.17 billion yen for the next fiscal year. At least one worker has been reported killed by a robot and many other cases are suspected, but have not been reported. Small and medium companies are eagerly adopting the machines to solve their problems in finding skilled labor. However, there is particular concern about worker safety in these smaller companies. The Ministry plans to use the increased budget to develop safety manuals and guidelines for robot use as well as providing subsidies for training for workers to use the devices. There are about 100,000 robots in use in Japan today and robot production last year stood at 22,000 units. About 60% of the robots are used in medium or small corporations.

THE JAPAN LAWLETTER, October, 1982. By Roderick Seeman