Japan Airlines and GMO Internet Group are launching a joint project at Haneda Airport in Tokyo: humanoid robots are planned to be used for handling baggage and cargo. Trial operation will start in early May 2026 and last until 2028. The main reasons are acute staff shortages in Japan and an unprecedented influx of tourists: 42.7 million foreigners visited the country in 2025.

One of the test participants is a 130-centimeter robot from the Chinese manufacturer Unitree. At the demonstration, he already showed how to move cargo on a conveyor belt next to the JAL liner. Machines are capable of functioning without charging for two to three hours. In the future, they also want to be involved in cleaning lounges.

As JAL Ground Service president Yoshitera Suzuki has said, robots will help to reduce physical strain on employees, but the responsibility for safety will still rest with people.