← LandscapeChina (/topics/china-robotics-supply-chain)United States (/topics/us-robotics-supply-chain)Europe (/topics/europe-robotics-supply-chain)Japan (/topics/japan-robotics-supply-chain)South Korea (/topics/korea-robotics-supply-chain)Updated 12 Oct 2026Japan robotics supply chain Japanese manufacturers produce robot-joint reducers, bearings and permanent magnets. Harmonic Drive Systems and Nabtesco operate reducer factories in Japan; NITTOKU makes motor-winding machines and DISCO makes semiconductor-processing equipment. Sojitz imports rare earths from Lynas for Japanese industry. Humanoid development Bipedal research Kawasaki · Kaleido 9 Kawasaki’s humanoid programme reached its ninth-generation Kaleido 9 platform in 2026. The research targets tasks in environments built for people, including the use of existing tools, equipment and stairs, and work in unpredictable settings such as disaster sites. Sources Research goals and platform generation. The update does not establish commercial production or deliveries. Kawasaki Robotics · Kaleido 9 development goals (https://kawasakirobotics.com/asia-oceania/blog/20260316_kaleido9/) · 2026-03-25Manufacturer development update Company & events → Companies by role Robot development Kawasaki (#programme-kawasaki) Motion components Harmonic Drive Systems (#company-harmonic-drive-systems) Nabtesco (#company-nabtesco) THK (#company-thk) Tactile sensing XELA Robotics (#company-xela-robotics) Magnet materials TDK (#company-tdk) Production equipment NITTOKU (#equipment-nittoku-winding) DISCO (#equipment-disco-dicing) Components & orders Tactile sensing (/markets/humanoid-robotics/components?component=tactile-sensing) XELA Robotics · tactile integration for robot hands Tokyo-based XELA supplies uSkin three-axis tactile sensors for robot hands and grippers. Its January 2026 update describes integration into Tesollo’s DG-5F hand, announced in December 2025, with commercial orders planned from late Q1 2026. Sources The named integration is DG-5F, not DG-5F-S. The January announcement gives an order-opening target; it does not confirm deliveries or volumes. XELA Robotics · uSkin hand integrations (https://xelarobotics.com/press-release/xela-robotics-unlocks-enhanced-automation-for-humanoid-and-industrial-robots/) · 2026-01-05Manufacturer integration announcement Component details → Precision gearing (/markets/humanoid-robotics/components?component=harmonic-reducers) Harmonic Drive Systems · orders & capacity Harmonic Drive Systems reported about ¥1.2 billion in North American AI-robot orders for April–June 2026, with one major customer in volume production. It plans to expand capacity at its US subsidiary by 50% around year-end 2026 into early 2027, serving AI robots, medical devices and semiconductor equipment. Sources The 7 August briefing describes orders received during April–June 2026 and identifies one major customer in volume production. It does not disclose the outstanding order balance or that customer’s identity. The August briefing schedules investment around year-end 2026 into early 2027. The 50% expansion target applies to the US subsidiary. Harmonic Drive Systems · Q1 briefing, p. 7 (https://contents.xj-storage.jp/xcontents/AS06879/47a4397d/b34d/4706/b8a9/c39c1541c6f9/20260817130752810s.pdf#page=8) · 2026-08-17Company-reported order intake Harmonic Drive Systems · Q1 briefing, p. 11 (https://contents.xj-storage.jp/xcontents/AS06879/47a4397d/b34d/4706/b8a9/c39c1541c6f9/20260817130752810s.pdf#page=12) · 2026-08-17Company-reported capacity plan Harmonic Drive LLC · US manufacturing location (https://www.harmonicdrive.net/about-us/us-locations)Manufacturer location page · checked 7 Oct 2026 Component details → Industrial reducers (/markets/humanoid-robotics/components?component=integrated-actuators) Nabtesco · industrial reducer concentration Nabtesco estimates a roughly 60% global share of precision reducers for medium-to-large industrial robot joints. Sources In 2020, Nabtesco described its main market as robots with payloads of 6 kg or more. The current share page gives neither a payload cutoff nor a measurement year. Nabtesco · market-share estimate (https://www.nabtesco.com/en/products/robot/)Manufacturer estimate Nabtesco · humanoid joint drives (29 Sep 2026) (https://www.nabtesco.de/en/the-company/presse-detail/compact-precision-drives-for-humanoid-robots-backlash-free-strain-wave-gears-and-actuators-from-nabtesco) · 2026-09-29Manufacturer product offering Nabtesco · payload context (2020 Q&A, Q5) (https://www.nabtesco.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/pdf/b98e2f07f6e2880bc0540702c715c494.pdf#page=1) · 2020-10-30Historical company explanation Component details → Joint bearings (/markets/humanoid-robotics/components?component=bearings) THK · cross-roller rings THK’s cross-roller rings carry radial, axial and moment loads within one bearing. The arrangement supports compact, rigid rotary joints. Sources Product capability. This reference does not identify a humanoid customer or a production allocation. THK · cross-roller rings (https://www.thk.com/sg/en/products/cross_roller_ring/cross_roller_ring/)Company disclosure Component details → Magnet materials (/markets/humanoid-robotics/components?component=frameless-motors) TDK · NdFeB magnet grades TDK offers neodymium magnet grades without dysprosium or terbium, alongside HAL diffusion grades that reduce their use. Grade choice changes the motor’s upstream material requirements. Sources Grade-specific material options; the portfolio does not establish a robot customer or the manufacturing location of a selected grade. TDK · magnet portfolio (https://product.tdk.com/en/products/magnet/index.html)Company disclosure Component details → Manufacturing locations Nagano, Japan (/markets/humanoid-robotics/components?component=harmonic-reducers) Harmonic Drive Systems · factories Harmonic Drive Systems operates Hotaka and Ariake factories in Azumino and a Matsumoto factory in Nagano Prefecture. Sources Factory addresses establish location; this directory does not quantify capacity or customer allocation. Harmonic Drive Systems · company sites (https://www.hds.co.jp/english/company/establishment/)Company disclosure Component details → Mie & Shizuoka, Japan (/markets/humanoid-robotics/components?component=integrated-actuators) Nabtesco · Japan and China production Nabtesco’s precision-equipment business lists Tsu in Mie and Hamamatsu in Shizuoka as Japanese manufacturing plants. It also lists production in Changzhou, China. Sources Manufacturing locations are separate from the Tokyo headquarters. The directory lists plants in Japan and China. Nabtesco · manufacturing plants (https://precision.nabtesco.com/en/company/)Company disclosure Component details → Production equipment Japanese tooling covers motor winding, precision screw grinding and semiconductor dicing: production steps for joints, linear actuators, cameras and compute. NITTOKUMotor winding machinesInner, outer-rotor and segmented-core winding machines form coils for different motor constructions. Sources Motor stators · winding around the magnetic core Headquarters · Saitama, Japan NITTOKU · motor equipment (https://nittoku.co.jp/product/motor-related-machines/)NITTOKU · company overview (https://nittoku.co.jp/english/company/outline/)Coil winding → (/markets/humanoid-robotics/components?component=frameless-motors&route=stator&step=winding#industrial-frameless-motors) DISCOWafer dicing equipmentBlade and laser systems separate semiconductor wafers into individual dies before package assembly. Sources Cameras and compute · semiconductor dies Headquarters · Tokyo, Japan DISCO · precision processing equipment (https://www.disco.co.jp/eg/products/index.html?full=&id=dicing)DISCO · corporate outline (https://www.disco.co.jp/eg/corporate/outline/)Die separation → (/markets/humanoid-robotics/components?component=cameras&route=depth-sensor-build&step=sensorPackage#industrial-cameras) Mitsui SeikiPrecision thread grindersMitsui Seiki makes external- and internal-thread grinders for precision screws. Its GSE30A external-thread machine lists a maximum grinding length of 300 mm. Sources Linear actuators · ground screw threads Headquarters · Kawajima, Saitama, Japan Mitsui Seiki · thread-grinder range (https://www.mitsuiseiki.co.jp/machine/screwgrinder/)Mitsui Seiki · GSE30A (https://www.mitsuiseiki.co.jp/machine/screwgrinder/gse30a/)Mitsui Seiki · headquarters and factory (https://www.mitsuiseiki.co.jp/office/)Thread grinding → (/markets/humanoid-robotics/components?component=linear-actuation&route=linear&step=grinding#industrial-linear-actuation) Materials & overseas dependencies Heavy-rare-earth processing (/markets/humanoid-robotics/components?component=frameless-motors) Lynas separates dysprosium and terbium at its Malaysian plant. It reported first commercial production of dysprosium oxide in May 2025 and terbium oxide in June 2025. These oxides enter the downstream metal, alloy and magnet-production chain.Sources Commercial milestones at the oxide-separation stage; subsequent metal and magnet production are separate processes. Lynas · June 2025 quarterly report (https://announcements.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20250724/pdf/06m2pt03fvnyv0.pdf) · 2025-07-24Company disclosure Rare-earth sourcing (/markets/humanoid-robotics/components?component=frameless-motors) Sojitz reports that imports of Lynas dysprosium and terbium to Japan began in October 2025. Its March 2026 announcement says a revised contract allocates 75% of Lynas’ medium and heavy rare-earth production to Japan. The partners also agreed to explore additional mining opportunities.Sources The allocation applies to Lynas’ medium and heavy rare-earth production. It is not Japan’s import share or a robotics-specific allocation. Exploration remains at MoU stage. Sojitz · rare-earth supply and exploration agreements (https://www.sojitz.com/en/news/article/20260313.html) · 2026-03-13Company disclosure Explore the landscape Compare regional supply chainsChina, United States, Europe, Japan, South Korea (/markets/humanoid-robotics#regional-supply)Components and suppliersProducts, manufacturing routes and market context (/markets/humanoid-robotics/components?component=integrated-actuators)Humanoid Market FlowDocumented supplier and recipient relationships (/data/supply-chain-intelligence?lens=market&market=humanoid&coverage=core&evidence=reported)