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The Case for Cyborgs in JapanHan-Yuan Liu Boosting the world's second largest economy (or third depending on how you calculate it) and home to numerous global corporations with cutting edge technology, Japan is one of the most innovative countries in the world. The thing that sets Japan apart from other technological centers in the world is in how it has relentlessly pursued and embraced cyborgian and robotic technology. The main reason for this obsession with robots and cyborgs can be attributed to Japan's demographic problems of depopulation as well as a rapidly aging society. What, a Cyborg?
Before we launch into the discussion on Japan's pop culture, it would be useful to ask ourselves just what exactly is a cyborg? Many people would probably think that a cyborg is defined as an organism that has artificial parts attached to it (think Darth Vader). While this may be correct in the context of pop culture and how we usually use the word, technically speaking, it is wrong as according to the Cyborg Handbook, “There is no one kind of cyborg” (Gray 2). For example, in the case of humans almost anyone could be considered a cyborg so long as they have been modified in any way from their original state. Thus young babies who have had their vaccine shots are just as cyborgian as the man with an artificial hip (Gray 2). However knowing this still does not really give us a concrete definition of the word. In fact it may be impossible to come up with one as “there is no consensus on what a cyborg is” (Gray 3). For the purposes of this paper however, a cyborg will be loosely defined as any object that has been augmented or created through some process and yet retains either a tangible or intangible human quality to it such as a physical body or emotions. Dying Japan
So just way is Japan so fixated with robots and cyborgs? The reason is due to the fact that Japan is facing a massive demographic challenge of depopulation combined with a rapidly aging society. Simply, Japanese women are on average giving birth to fewer children which leads inevitably to a population decline. As noted in a feature article by the British Broadcasting Corporation, the birthrate in 2005 was only 1.26 births per woman, which is far below the level of 2.1 births per woman needed to sustain a static population. If this trend holds, then Japan is slated to loose nearly 20 percent of its currant population by mid-century (BBC). While birth rates are in decline, the average Japanese life span continues to increase resulting in that more than 20 percent of the Japanese population in 2007 was made up of people over the age of 65. Even though Japan already has a high proportion of elderly people relevant to its total population, if the currant population trends continue then it is estimated that by mid-century that rate may rise up to 40 percent (BBC). Japan's elderly residents will make up an ever greater portion of the population in the years to come. Source: BBC News. The twin issues of depopulation and an aging society is worrying as it raises a whole host of social and economical problems. For one, depopulation means that there will be fewer workers in the labor market thus creating a labor shortage in certain industries. A smaller working population also means fewer taxpayers to keep the retirement system running, forcing each worker to take on a greater share of the tax burden. To illustrate the extent of the problem, the BBC estimates that by 2050 only half of Japan's population will be between the working ages of 15 and 64, meaning that about half the population will be working to support the other half. Furthermore with an aging population, demand for social services such as caretakers, nurses, and doctors will certainly increase thus putting even more strain on both the taxpayers and the labor market (BBC). The turn to technology
In order to avert a complete economic and social meltdown, the Japanese government has, in recent years, attempted a number of efforts to solve the problem. However these efforts are not enough as the birthrate has not picked up significantly (BBC). The other alternative of allowing more immigrants into Japan is already out the window due to the strict immigration laws supported by a public that “blames immigrants for crime, impolite behavior and untidiness” (Harden). So instead of attempting to solve the problem of depopulation, the government has looked to technology for ways to lessen the impact of it, investing heavily in the fields of robotics and cybernetics (Harden). This investment has paid off in recent years with the development of numerous technologies designed to counter the problems of depopulation and an aging society. As many of these robots invoke some sort of humanoid element to them, they could be considered cyborgs in their own right. For example, to counter the upcoming labor shortage Japan has developed a number of robots with humanoid bodies and functions to take over more mundane jobs. One such robot is ASIMO which is now able to not just shake hands and dance, but can also perform more She can walk and make six different facial expressions, but is she ready for the catwalk? Source: AFP Photo/Yoshikazu Tsuno Complex movements such as guiding people and serving tea enabling it to take over the duties of a receptionist (Ito). In addition to ASIMO, there is also the much more cyborgian looking Saya which is also able to perform a few specific tasks such as calling out roll for students (Kageyama). Still Saya's most notable point is in her human like appearance as she has a complete upper body, realistic facial features, as well as the ability to express six distinct facial expressions (Kageyama). However the most cyborgian looking robot yet produced would have to be the HRP-4C which is an entertainment robot that can both walk and make facial expressions (Katz). In fact due to the special properties of the HRP-4C, it is even slated for a stint as a model at upcoming fashion shows (Katz). The Farmbot should help relieve farmers of the heavy lifting, allowing them to then work for longer hours and at older ages. Source: Techchee The government's investment in cybernetics has also produced solid results in the form of various powered exoskeletons which could go a long way towards solving the problems of an aging society. For example nurses wearing the Power Assist Suit could lift elderly patients more easily as the suit would be doing the bulk of the lifting (Hadfield & Marks). A power suit clad nurse or caretaker could then attend to more patients in a same day. Another use of powered exoskeletons is in labor intensive industries such as in agriculture. The Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology has recently developed the Farmbot power suit, which at a light 55 pounds manages to help support the body joints so that the wearer can lift heavy materials as well as move in around with little to no stress (Ketyung). This has great implications for Japan as power suits might in the future enable elderly people to continue working, which would then not only solve Japan's labor shortage but also reduce the number of pensioners relying on the welfare system. Finally there is the Hybrid Assisted Limb (HAL) developed by Yoshiyuki Sankai which is slated to enter mass production (Kelly). The suit is not only stylish in design, but it serves as a strength multiplier for the wearer (Kelly). In fact testing showed that the suit could help a person lift 88 pounds beyond their natural limit with their arms alone (Kelly). There are even hopes that the HAL could eventually function as medical equipment and enable stroke victims to walk again (Kelly). The Future
After examining Japan's internal problems of depopulation, aging, and an aversion to immigrants, we can see why the government has decided to bet the future of Japan on a technological solution. As the rate of depopulation and aging increases over the next few decades, the pressure for better technology will also likewise increase. Robots will have to become not only faster and more functional, but they will also need to become a lot smarter in order to become practical for daily use. In general, the next twenty years or so should be an exciting time for robotics and cybernetics as the first large wave of robots and power suits enters mass production. The stakes are high not only for Japan but for all humans as well since it could very well determine the speed of humanity's future advancement. A successful adoption of robotic and cybernetic technology would help convince much of the world in the merits of embracing such technologies. Works Cited
BBC. “BBC Features.” Japan eyes demographic time bomb. 19 Nov 2007. 18 Mar 2009 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7084749.stm.
Images
BBC News. “Elderly Japanese Couple.” Photograph. 18 Mar, 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7101663.stm.
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