Automation and robotics: The next industrial revolution

Usage reaching a tipping point

Sophia Li, portfolio manager at First State Stewart Asia, on the three driving forces behind the growth in robotics in Japan.

The slow pace of change in Japan and the meagre improvements made so far have been a difficult pill to swallow for Abenomics supporters. On top of the lack of reform, there is the ageing population, a deflationary environment and negative interest rates to contend with. Unfortunately, it is far too easy to get stuck on the top-down negativities when investing in Japan and lose sight of the real investment opportunities on the ground. Tapping into the Internet of Things We have been mindful of this and, while we share the market's concerns at the macro level, we believe that ther...