Yano Research Institute Ltd.

[WHATS Seminar Vol. 257 (Online)] “The Forefront of Forklift Automation — Transitioning to Logistics Without Dependence on Forklifts in an Era of Labor Shortages” —Monday, June 22, 2026 [Seminar Overview] ●  2:30 PM – 3:20 PM The Forefront of Forklift Automation Transitioning to “Logistics Without Dependence on Forklifts” in an Era of Labor Shortages In today’s logistics operations, pallet storage and retrieval operations within warehouses are primarily handled by manned forklifts. Although companies are considering switching to AGFs (Automated Guided Forklifts) as a labor-saving measure, several challenges remain. To address these issues, we propose a new logistics system that combines RGVs (Rail Guided Vehicles / shuttle systems) and AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles). In addition, by expanding the scope toward automation of case picking operations, the proposed approach helps establish a logistics system that “keeps operations running” while also strengthening business continuity. Today, logistics operations are reaching a turning point where the focus should shift beyond simple labor saving toward “overall optimization through automation.” Current Warehouse Operations and Challenges in Implementing AGFs A New Logistics System Combining RGVs and AGVs Phase 2 Proposal: Expanding Automation to Case Picking Introduction of the NEWAGV, Capable of Transporting Floor-Stacked Pallets Introduction to Freezer Warehouse Solutions Approaches to Evaluating Cost Effectiveness Speaker: Taisuke Wakisaka, Product Team, Robotics Advisor Department, Chinoh.Ai Co., Ltd. Mr. Wakisaka has more than 10 years of experience in industrial automation, primarily in the automotive, manufacturing, and logistics industries, promoting the implementation of automation solutions including AGVs. He provides support tailored to customer needs, ranging from customized system integration to optimal proposals based on budget requirements. To date, he has supported automation planning and deployment at more than 300 operational sites.   ●   3:20 PM – 3:30 PM 　　Q&A Session ____________________________________________________ Registration & For more details: https://lnkd.in/gMpg6Dpu #WarehouseAutomation #LogisticsTech #AGV #Forklift #SupplyChainAutomation #SmartLogistics #LaborShortage #IndustrialRobotics #BusinessContinuity #FutureOfWork #YanoResearch #MarketResearch  

Press Release: "Structural Transition in Digital Advertising Market Driven by Proliferation of Generative AI" [How Advertisers Utilize AI and Manage Digital Ad Ops in Japan: Key Research Findings 2026]   < Market Overview> The rapid evolution of generative AI is significantly reshaping digital advertising workflows and the competitive landscape. Beyond simple automation, innovations in text, image, and video generation—coupled with advanced data analytics and precision targeting—have shifted AI from a basic productivity tool to a strategic infrastructure. When segmented by two-axis analysis with AI usage level on one axis and advertising budget size on the other, advertisers fall into either “Aggressive AI Adopter/Active Advertiser”, “No AI/Defensive Advertiser”, or “General Advertiser (adopts AI largely for efficiency)”. Aggressive Adopters are frontrunners that leverage AI to maximize efficiency, then reinvest those gains into new growth initiatives to pull ahead. Defensive segment remains hesitant to adopt AI, running the risk of losing their competitive edge. The digital advertising market is shifting from traditional 'channel vs. channel' competition toward a total restructuring centered on AI integration. Consequently, the 'AI gap' will soon dictate who wins and who loses in digital advertising.   Full Texts of the Release: https://lnkd.in/gqar2Ysx   #DigitalAdvertising #GenerativeAI #AIMarketing #AdTech #ProgrammaticAdvertising #SearchAdvertising #RetailMedia #MarketingStrategy #CTVAdvertising #JapanDigitalMarketing #JapanMarketResearch #Yanoresearch

Press Release: "Marke Size for Graduate Recruitment Services Reached 146.6 Billion Yen in FY2024, Marking a 5.1% YoY" [Graduate Recruitment Services Market in Japan: Key Research Findings 2026]   < Market Overview> Based on sales from service providers, the graduate recruitment services market, comprising seven segments, was valued at 146.6 billion yen in FY2024, marking a 5.1% increase from the previous fiscal year. Companies’ graduate recruitment activities have been brisk, creating robust demand for these services. Due to the ongoing market favorable for students, companies continued to recruit from early on for a longer period, which created more opportunities for these services.   Full Texts of the Release: https://lnkd.in/gZFfKvwZ #GraduateRecruitment #HRtech #TalentAcquisition #AIRecruitment #JapanEmployment #CampusRecruiting #FutureOfWork #JobHunting #WorkforcePlanning #JapanHR #JapanMarketResearch #Yanoresearch  

Press Release: "Hospital Groups Manage 1,238 Hospitals, Accounting for 15.3% of the Total Number of Medical Institutions in Japan" [Hospital Groups in Japan: Key Research Findings 2026]   < Summary of Research Findings> For the purposes of this research, a hospital group is defined as an organization that manages at least three medical facilities. According to public data from the Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare, these groups operate 1,238 hospitals, accounting for 15.3% of Japan's 8,107 hospitals as of January 2026. These group hospitals have 243,049 beds, accounting for 16.7% of Japan's 1,456,922 hospital beds, based on the same data. Breaking it down by bed type, the hospital groups have 139,350 general beds (16.0% of the total of this type of beds), 69,513 long-term care beds (26.2% of the total), and 34,051 psychiatric beds (10.8% of the total). Based on total assets in FY2023, the Tokushukai Group is the largest group, followed by the Japan Federation of Democratic Medical Institutions, the Seirei Social Welfare Community, the Kamachi Medical Group, and the IMS Group.   Full Texts of the Release: https://lnkd.in/gUAKbhYA #HealthcareInJapan #HospitalManagement #DigitalHealth #HealthcareAI #MedicalIndustry #HealthcareTransformation #AgingPopulation #SmartHospital #HealthcareMarket #TaskShifting #JapanMarketResearch #Yanoresearch

Press Release: "The Foreign Worker Support Services Market (as a Total of 3 Markets: SSW Support, TITP Supervision, and Foreign Worker Job Placement) Grew by 16.9% YoY to 269.65 Billion Yen in FY2024" [Foreign Worker Support Services Market in Japan: Key Research Findings 2026]   < Market Overview> The foreign worker support services market, which comprises 1) specified skilled worker (SSW) support services, 2) Technical Intern Training Program (TITP) supervision, and 3) foreign worker job placement services, was estimated at 269.65 billion yen in FY2024, a 16.9% increase from the previous fiscal year. To address labor shortages, the government established the Specified Skilled Worker Program to facilitate the hiring of foreign nationals.  As more companies have become willing to accept TITP trainees and SSWs, providing opportunities for them to perform, the demand for foreign worker support services has increased, creating more opportunities to offer these services. This has contributed to the expansion of the market size.   Full Texts of the Release: https://lnkd.in/ghnxRBGw #ForeignWorkers #LaborShortage #SpecifiedSkilledWorker #TechnicalInternTraining #JapanWorkforce #ImmigrationPolicy #WorkforceManagement #HRtech #MarketResearch #TalentAcquisition #JapanMarketResearch #Yanoresearch

This Week's Focus: June 2, 2026 [Chinese EV Makers Seek Openings Amid a Stagnating Global EV Market]   (Section omitted for brevity) Currently, major global automakers are reassessing their EV strategies. Behind this shift are stagnating global demand and overcapacity in China, the world’s largest EV market. Another contributing factor is the massive government subsidies that have undermined fair competition in the Chinese market. At the same time, however, fierce competition has undeniably accelerated technological innovation. This is evident not only in autonomous driving technologies but also in improvements in manufacturing productivity. The “CIIC” smart chassis concept, which allows the chassis and the upper vehicle body to be developed independently, can shorten the lead time from product planning to mass production to 12 months. Such advances cannot be achieved through incremental cost-cutting alone. Rather, they stem from a fundamentally innovative approach to the manufacturing process itself. Amid intensifying competition in China’s domestic market, Chinese EV makers are seeking openings in overseas markets where EV demand is losing momentum. This summer, BYD will introduce electric kei car models (lightweight compact EVs) to the Japanese market. Dongfeng Motor Corporation, in partnership with Stellantis, is producing EVs under the “Peugeot” and “Jeep” brands for export to global markets. In 2027, Xiaomi Automobile, a subsidiary of a leading smartphone maker Xiaomi Communications, is set to launch a full-scale global expansion, beginning with Europe. Yet the barriers to success in mature markets remain high. Business models that proved effective in emerging markets in Asia, where the automotive industry itself is still developing, are unlikely to work in mature markets. Even so, these companies’ determination to bet on the future of the EV market and on the potential of their own technologies evokes something of the “founder’s ambition” to take on the world — the same spirit that once drove Nidec during its high-growth years.   Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/ge8A9PrX #ElectricVehicles #EVmarket #ChineseEV #BYD #CATL #AutomotiveIndustry #EVinnovation #AutonomousDriving #GlobalEV #JapanEV #YanoResearch #JapanMarketResearch

Press Release: "Domestic Medical Imaging Systems Market Declined by 2.9% YoY to 58,110 Million Yen in FY2024" [Medical Imaging Systems Market in Japan: Key Research Findings 2025]   < Market Overview> This survey examines the primary medical imaging systems utilized in hospital settings, including Picture Archive and Communication Systems (PACS), cardiology PACS (CPACS), 3D medical imaging workstations, radiology information systems (RIS), Radiation Oncology Information System (ROIS), medical imaging quality assurance systems, and radiation dose management system (DMS). The market size is calculated based on the sales of business pertaining to these systems. Market dynamics for core systems are reaching maturity. Market growth for PACS has moderated as the sector shifts from initial installations to a replacement-driven cycle. This same trend is now evident across peripheral systems, such as RIS, ROIS, and imaging QA software. The demand for dose management systems (DMS) peaked in FY2020, which was driven by the 2020 regulatory mandate for recording patient exposure. However, starting in the latter half of FY2026, the market anticipates a resurgence in activity as systems installed during the 2020 mandate begin their next replacement phase. Given the circumstances, the domestic medical imaging systems market reached 58,110 million yen in FY2024, representing a 2.9% year-on-year decline (calculated based on the sales of vendors providing these systems). While the market is stabilizing as the impact—and subsequent pullback—of the COVID-19 pandemic wanes, the current valuation reflects a transition toward more cyclical, replacement-based demand.   Full Texts of the Release: https://lnkd.in/gSDbZUj3   #MedicalImaging #PACS #HealthcareAI #AIdiagnostics #Radiology #DigitalHealth #HealthTech #MedTech #JapanHealthcare #JapanMarketResearch #Yanoresearch  

Press Release: "Global Shipment of Humanoid Robots Forecasted to Reach 7.18 Million Units by 2035" [Global Humanoid Robot Market: Key Research Findings 2026]   < Market Overview> Global humanoid robot market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 83.5% between 2025 and 2035. Market growth is being driven by a rising number of enterprises—led by Chinese firms in development and American firms in commercial shipments—spearheading industrial deployment. Simultaneously, the use of humanoid robots is expected to broaden from industrial applications to domestic and personal use. On the technological front, sophisticated AI and sensors are boosting autonomy, while a diversifying supplier base helps drive down hardware costs. These factors, bolstered by significant government subsidies, are set to further catalyze global market expansion. The global shipment of humanoid robots is estimated at 16,580 units in 2025, representing 647.9% of the preceding year. Analyzing the market by manufacturer origin, Chinese firms currently dominate, accounting for 84.8% of the total shipments. Bolstered by a structured regulatory framework, China now boasts over 200 manufacturers, whose large-scale projects are driving overall market expansion. Meanwhile, although their market shares remain modest at 7.4% and 5.9% respectively, European and American manufacturers have achieved over 300% year-on-year growth. This surge is fueled by their transition from the research phase toward PoC and full-scale implementation. In contrast, Japanese shipments were estimated at only 84 units, as a limited number of domestic players remain focused primarily on R&D and pilot testing. In 2026, humanoid robot　shipments are projected to reach 81,690 units, representing 492.7% of the previous year. This growth is underpinned by four primary factors: mass production by industry leaders such as Tesla, Figure AI, and 1X Technologies; the global expansion of Chinese firms; increased commercialization within the U.S.; and a rising number of Korean manufacturers. Although China and the U.S. will drive shipment quantities, U.S. and European firms are projected to capture the bulk of the market's value. This creates a two-tier market: sophisticated, high-end models from the West serving their local regions, and cost-effective Chinese models dominating the rest of the world.   Full Texts of the Release: https://lnkd.in/gmB9xb2Q   #HumanoidRobots #Robotics #RoboticAI #FutureOfRobotics #RaaS #IndustrialAutomation #AIRobotics #TeslaBot #ManufacturingInnovation #GlobalRoboticsMarket #JapanMarketResearch #Yanoresearch

Press Release: "The Market Size of Healthcare DX Tools Expected to Double from 64 Billion Yen in FY2024 to 127.5 Billion Yen in FY2030" [Digital Transformation (DX) in Healthcare in Japan: Key Research Findings 2026]   < Summary of Research Findings> The Japanese title of the report is "Hospital DX." We translated it more naturally as "Digital Transformation (DX) in Healthcare." The Japanese report defines this “Hospital DX” as a set of methods to reform hospital work. This encompasses overall healthcare-related tasks, including face-to-face patient services, indirect tasks, and property handling. Additionally, this digital transformation targets hospital organizations, processes, corporate culture, and intellectual climate, and aims to make hospitals and healthcare services more sustainable in response to ever-changing public environments and rapid technological advancements. This definition is based on the latest revision (September 19, 2024) of “The Digital Governance Code 3.0 - Toward Enhancement of Corporate Value by DX Management,” compiled by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).    Full Texts of the Release: https://lnkd.in/gkDpWsSm   #HealthcareDX #HealthcareAI #GenerativeAI #DigitalHealth #HospitalInnovation #HealthTech #MedicalSaaS #SmartHospital #DigitalTransformation #FutureOfHealthcare #JapanMarketResearch #Yanoresearch  

Press Release: "Next Generation Local Transportation Market in Japan (Redesigning of Existing Transportation System & Introduction of DRT and Autonomous Shuttles) Forecast to Expand to Up to 720 Billion Yen by 2035" [Next Generation Local Transportation Market in Japan: Key Research Findings 2025]   <Market Overview> The viability of Japan’s traditional local transportation—defined by fixed-route, fixed-schedule services—is currently facing an existential threat. This decline is driven by a steady erosion of ridership, and critical driver shortages stemming from the ‘2024 Issue’. The labor crisis has been exacerbated by the "2024 Issue," which has placed unprecedented pressure on driver availability. Today, a significant majority of local bus operators are operating at a deficit. Even with the cushion of government subsidies, these entities are reaching a breaking point where they can no longer reliably secure the personnel required to maintain basic service levels. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), 2,057 districts lack adequate transportation services, meaning 14 million people across the country (12% of the national population) do not have gas station or bus stop in close proximity. (Source: “Policy for Transportation Desert Resolution”, MLIT, 2025) In response, local governments have launched pilot projects for introduction of Demand-Responsive Transport (DRT) and autonomous shuttles to ensure the continuity of essential local transportation. The Japanese government has also announced the target of introducing DRT in 500 municipalities by 2027 as well as replacing one-sixth of the total fleets (10,000 buses) to autonomous shuttles by 2030. In this market report, we have assessed the feasibility of local transportation systems based on current status and challenges identified through interviews with local governments and local transportation service operators.   Full Texts of the Release: https://lnkd.in/gU2Yrf6e #AutonomousVehicles #DRT #MaaS #SmartMobility #RuralTransportation #FirstLastMile #AutonomousDriving #PublicTransport #SmartCity #FutureOfMobility #JapanMarketResearch #Yanoresearch