NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang Champions Japan's AI Ecosystem and Physical AI Initiative

NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang recently concluded a significant visit to Japan, underscoring the nation's pivotal role in the global AI landscape. During his multi-day engagement, Huang met with a diverse array of Japanese leaders, from startup founders and developers to titans of industry and government officials, all focused on accelerating the development and deployment of AI, particularly in the realm of physical AI and robotics. The visit culminated in the launch of a national Physical AI Initiative, signaling a strong government commitment to leveraging AI for economic growth and addressing societal challenges.

A Hands-On Approach to AI Innovation

Huang kicked off his visit with an unannounced appearance at NVIDIA's "Build-a-Claw" event, held at Studio Koku within the traditional Happo-en garden in Tokyo. Here, Japanese developers were actively engaged in building physical AI applications, using open models and NVIDIA's platform to create robots capable of grasping objects. Huang's presence on the floor, interacting directly with builders, underscored his belief in empowering individuals to create their own AI agents. He drew parallels to the PC revolution, stating, "Forty years ago was the beginning of the PC revolution. Now, forty years later, instead of a personal computer, you can now have your own personal AI." To further this vision, two autographed NVIDIA DGX Spark personal AI supercomputers were awarded to lucky participants, enabling them to develop their own AI.

Forging a Future in Intelligent Manufacturing

Later, at a press event, Huang elaborated on Japan's unique position to lead in AI and robotics, capitalizing on its long-standing expertise in precision and large-scale manufacturing. He articulated how the fusion of AI with these manufacturing strengths can create a powerful new economic engine for the country. "You can combine the two technologies and create robotics. The future of intelligent manufacturing, the future of robotics can now start," Huang remarked. He also highlighted the potential for AI and robotics to address Japan's demographic challenges, such as worker shortages, by augmenting the existing workforce and boosting national productivity. "AI is manufacturing intelligence. It’s manufacturing all the time, and it’s running all the time," he added, emphasizing the continuous operational benefits.

Strengthening the AI Supply Chain

Recognizing the critical importance of a robust supply chain for the burgeoning AI industry, Huang convened a meeting with over 30 senior executives from 16 leading Japanese supply chain companies. This gathering, held at an izakaya in Tokyo's Kanda district, included representatives from key sectors such as semiconductor equipment, memory, materials, and electronic components. Companies like ADVANTEST Corporation, Tokyo Electron (TEL), KYOCERA Corporation, and TDK Corporation were among those discussing strategies to build a resilient and advanced AI-led supply chain for Japan and the global market. This engagement underscored NVIDIA's commitment to fostering a comprehensive ecosystem that supports AI development from foundational components to finished products.

Integrating Physical AI into Industry

A significant portion of Huang's visit focused on the practical integration of physical AI into Japan's industrial backbone. He met with the CEOs of major robotics and industrial system manufacturers, including Fujitsu, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, FANUC, and Yaskawa. These discussions centered on deploying physical AI onto the factory floor, leveraging NVIDIA's platform to enhance automation and efficiency. Fujitsu's contribution lies in enterprise-scale AI infrastructure, while Kawasaki, FANUC, and Yaskawa represent the core robotics expertise. Takahito Tokita, President and CEO of Fujitsu Limited, emphasized a shared vision among these leaders: "Although we come from different countries and industries, we share the same values. We make business decisions not only for the benefit of our own companies, but also with the sustainable development of our industries and ultimately the world in mind."

A National Commitment to Physical AI

Marking a pivotal moment, Japan officially launched its government-backed Physical AI Initiative at an event attended by Huang and Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. This initiative aims to develop open multimodal foundation models tailored for AI agents, digital twins, robotics, and other physical AI applications, drawing upon Japan's manufacturing expertise and real-world industrial data. The initiative represents a national commitment to advancing AI's tangible impact across various sectors.

Advancing Healthcare and Life Sciences with AI

NVIDIA's technology is also driving a new era in Japan's world-class healthcare and life sciences sector. Huang highlighted how Japanese innovators are deploying NVIDIA's agentic and physical AI solutions to revolutionize medicine. In drug discovery, companies like Astellas, Daiichi Sankyo, and Ono Pharmaceuticals are utilizing NVIDIA BioNeMo and the BioNeMo Agent Toolkit to accelerate research. SyntheticGestalt introduced advanced molecular AI models, ZAO and KOYA, which can be integrated with the BioNeMo Agent Toolkit for autonomous drug design. Biomy is pioneering virtual cell models using NVIDIA single-cell RAPIDS, while Takeda is enhancing its discovery workflows with biomolecular models. In the operating room, Kawasaki Heavy Industries is developing surgical support functions and nursing assistant robots using NVIDIA Holoscan IGX and Isaac for Healthcare. Furthermore, Canon and Fujifilm are shipping next-generation CT systems powered by NVIDIA GPUs, enhancing medical imaging accuracy and early detection capabilities, signaling that AI is becoming integral infrastructure in Japanese healthcare.

Empowering Vision AI and Financial Intelligence

NVIDIA Metropolis is equipping developers with agent-ready libraries to accelerate the creation of vision AI agents for real-world applications. Companies like OMRON, Hitachi, and Fujitsu are leveraging NVIDIA VSS Blueprint and DeepStream to bring real-time intelligence to factories, smart spaces, and public safety systems. This technology enables systems to see, reason, and act upon video data, significantly improving operational efficiency and safety. In the financial sector, Japanese megabanks and fintech companies are building AI factories using NVIDIA Nemotron open models and the NVIDIA Agent Toolkit. Mizuho plans to establish Japan's largest on-premises AI factory in the financial industry, focusing on secure development of AI agents for core banking workflows. The Japan Research Institute (JRI) and Rakuten Bank are also deploying AI factories to transform financial data into actionable intelligence, enhancing fraud detection, payment systems, and personalized financial services. This widespread adoption signifies a shift from AI pilots to robust AI infrastructure capable of supporting regulated, domain-specific financial intelligence.

Driving Scientific Discovery with Quantum and AI

NVIDIA's partnership with Japan extends to advancing scientific discovery through quantum computing and AI. RIKEN, Japan's leading research institute, is deploying two supercomputers powered by NVIDIA GB200 and NVIDIA Quantum-X800. The RIKYU supercomputer, equipped with 1,600 NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs, will support the development of open foundation models for fields like life sciences and materials science. This collaboration underscores Japan's commitment to pushing the boundaries of scientific research with cutting-edge AI and computing technologies.