apan’s economy, the world’s third largest, surprised on the upside in the first quarter of 2023, growing at an annualised rate of 2.7%, almost a percentage point above analyst forecasts. Capital spending helped drive growth, as companies confidently invested for the future. Japan has long been known for its high-tech, high-quality manufacturing sector, so it is little surprise that the country leads the world in robotics and automation. Some 45% of the industrial robots produced in the world are manufactured in Japan, according to the International Federation of
