Digital Transformation: Interview with Tadahiro Kawada, Kawada Technologies, Japan

In this talk

1. 0:06

   Collaborative robots address labor shortages

   Kawada describes NEXTAGE as a torso with arms, vision, and hands that works beside factory and logistics staff. He says Japan’s shrinking workforce is prompting companies to automate while keeping production at home, including for products valued because they are made in Japan.

2. 1:49

   Automation can help workers advance

   At Glory’s Saitama factory, robots took on less complex tasks while employees trained for more skilled work. Kawada says no one was laid off; the company increased capacity and brought production of a product back from China.

3. 5:01

   Use technology while building human capability

   Kawada worries that reliance on technology can weaken practical skills, such as doing basic calculations or navigating without turn-by-turn directions. He says workers should keep improving automated systems, citing factory employees who made robots safer and more efficient after installation.

4. 8:30

   Human judgment still matters in automated services

   Kawada argues that companies need to adapt as technology changes, while preserving human help when systems fail. He describes a hotel employee who arranged a refund after an online booking system rejected his cancellation, an experience that made him more loyal to the company.

5. 11:43

   Data and information require care

   Kawada is concerned that large companies collect personal and biometric data, and that data could be misused. He also worries about information manipulation and propaganda, and says people need to live with technology while retaining humanity and compassion.