12th Robot Award: MIC Minister’s Prize
Overview
The 12th Robot Award reviewed 73 applications received from February 16 through May 8, 2026, and selected the recipients of each award. The Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Prize goes to the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology’s deep-sea cruising AUV Urashima 8000. The award ceremony and joint exhibition of the winning robots and other entries will be held within Smart Factory Japan 2026 at Tokyo Big Sight from November 18 to 20, 2026.
Key points
- The Robot Award recognizes outstanding robots and related achievements to promote the advancement and social implementation of robotics technology.
- The 12th edition received 73 applications.
- The Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Prize was awarded to the deep-sea cruising AUV Urashima 8000.
- The award ceremony and joint exhibition will take place at Smart Factory Japan 2026.
Overview
The Robot Award is a recognition program jointly conducted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. It recognizes outstanding robots and related achievements to promote the advancement and social implementation of robotics technology.
The first award was held in fiscal 2006, and since fiscal 2008 it has been held once every two years. This is the 12th edition.
Details
The 12th Robot Award Special Review Committee and others, chaired by Sadao Kawamura, Deputy Director and Specially Appointed Research Professor at the Ritsumeikan Global Innovation Research Organization, Ritsumeikan University, reviewed the 73 applications submitted during the call for entries from February 16 through May 8, 2026, and selected the recipients of each award.
The winning robot for the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Prize is the deep-sea cruising AUV Urashima 8000, and the recipient is the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology.
The award ceremony will be held on November 18, 2026, from 10:30 to 12:00 on the main stage in East Hall 3 at Tokyo Big Sight. The joint exhibition will run from 10:00 to 17:00 that day through November 20 in the 12th Robot Award joint exhibition booth (booth F-03) in East Halls 1–3. The events at the venue are part of Smart Factory Japan 2026, which is organized by Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, Ltd.