In response to an aging population and labor shortages, Japanese companies are increasingly turning to service robots to augment their workforce, as reported by Bloomberg.

According to projections by the research firm Fuji Keizai, Japan’s service robot market is expected to nearly triple by 2030, reaching ¥400 billion ($2.7 billion). This growth may be driven by the anticipated labor shortage, with the Recruit Works Institute forecasting a deficit of 11 million workers by 2040, and a government-backed institute estimating that nearly 40% of the population will be 65 or older by 2065.

A notable example of robots filling the labor gap can be seen in the country’s largest table service restaurant chain, Skylark, which employs approximately 3,000 cat-eared robots to deliver food to tables. At one of the chain’s Tokyo locations, 71-year-old Yasuko Tagawa noted that about half of her job now involves working with robotic assistance.

In a display of appreciation, Tagawa expressed her gratitude to a robot, saying, “Thanks for your hard work. I’ll be counting on you.”