Nvidia’s Huang Touts ‘Made in Japan’ as He Unveils Physical AI Push With Fujitsu, FANUC

“‘Made in Japan’ stands for world-class quality and precision.”

Nvidia Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang hailed Japan as the world’s top mechatronics powerhouse and said the company will work with Japanese manufacturers to build a physical artificial intelligence ecosystem rooted in industry. He outlined a plan to partner with Fujitsu, FANUC and Kawasaki Heavy Industries to turn Japan into a base for AI robots and smart factories.

Huang announced the initiative at a joint press conference on July 16 at Tokyo’s Toranomon Hills with Fujitsu, FANUC, Yaskawa Electric and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, according to industry officials on July 17. Nvidia will provide AI infrastructure, while Fujitsu will supply central processing units and software. Fujitsu and FANUC will apply physical AI in manufacturing, Yaskawa Electric in distribution and Kawasaki Heavy Industries in healthcare.

The companies also plan to share expertise in AI and robot control to build a common foundation for physical AI. Fujitsu President Takahito Tokita said the company will expand commercialization of physical AI with the goal of enabling robots to coexist safely with humans, adding that the effort would open a new path for industry.

Huang cited Japan’s manufacturing capabilities as the main reason for deepening ties with local companies. He described the country as the best place to fully deploy Nvidia’s technology and improve the completeness of physical AI. He also praised Japan’s precision and safety-first culture.

“‘Made in Japan’ means the highest level of quality and precision in the world,” Huang said. Combining Japan’s world-class mechatronics technology with Nvidia’s physical AI will usher in a new era of industrial automation, he added.

Japan has always set new standards, Huang said, and robotics and AI will become manufacturing’s next frontier.

Huang also said Nvidia will play an active role in developing sovereign AI in Japan as part of a strategy to diversify revenue away from its current concentration among US hyperscale cloud providers such as Google and Microsoft.

At an event in Tokyo hosted by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Huang announced a semiconductor supply plan for Japanese company Noetra. The company was established by four major Japanese firms — SoftBank Group, Honda, Sony Group and NEC — to develop a Japanese physical AI model, with the government providing as much as 1 trillion yen, or about $6.7 billion, over five years. NHK reported that Noetra plans to adopt a next-generation system equipped with Nvidia’s latest chips.

Nvidia also said it will provide its AI models for traffic control systems in Toyota Motor Corp.’s Woven City, an advanced technology test city being built in Shizuoka Prefecture. The company said it will supply its Cosmos physical AI platform to more than 10 Japanese companies including Fujitsu and FANUC, and cooperate with Hitachi Ltd. on validating autonomous factory operations.

Huang’s trip to Japan began on July 15. Later that day, he visited GiGO Akihabara 3, a large arcade in Tokyo’s Akihabara district, where he joined an event with Sega for gamers and met local fans. Also attending were Sega Chief Executive Officer Haruki Satomi, former Sega President Shoichiro Irimajiri and Yu Suzuki, developer of the fighting game Virtua Fighter.

The event had been announced in advance on social media and drew about 50 fans. Local media said crowds had filled the area outside the arcade 30 minutes before the scheduled start. The event began at about 6 p.m., roughly an hour later than planned.

Huang used the appearance to thank Sega for supporting Nvidia during its financial difficulties in the late 1990s. Nvidia ran into trouble about 30 years ago after failing to develop a graphics chip for Sega’s Dreamcast console, but Sega backed the company with an investment of about $5 million.

“Former President Irimajiri taught me that business is not everything,” Huang said. “I learned the importance of friendship and partnership. Without Sega’s support at the time, Nvidia would not exist today.”

Nvidia chose the wrong technology at the time, Huang said, but Sega’s management made him realize the company had chosen the right people. Addressing Irimajiri and Suzuki, he said their friendship meant everything to him and that Japan and Sega would remain in his heart for life.

The event included giveaways such as an unreleased GeForce RTX 5090 signed by Huang and PCs equipped with RTX Spark. After the Akihabara appearance, Huang went to a yakiton izakaya near Tokyo’s JR Kanda Station for dinner with local business partners.

He walked down an alley lined with izakayas before entering the restaurant. Attendees applauded when he arrived, and Huang personally raised a glass to propose a toast. The menu included yakiton and motsunabe, and participants shared Japanese whisky as they socialized. The gathering lasted about two hours and continued past 9 p.m.

Huang also showed a personable side, seeing off guests who left early and handing sweet red bean buns and drinks to reporters at the scene. One attendee told Nikkei that the group discussed topics including fostering industries such as semiconductors and lifting stock prices. An executive at a major electronics company said he felt Huang’s strong determination to change the world with AI.

Nikkei said Huang has also held dinners with local executives in South Korea and Taiwan, where many of Nvidia’s key suppliers are based. The newspaper said his efforts to demonstrate close personal ties in each region have become something of a custom.

Kang Kyung-ju, Hankyung.com reporter qurasoha@hankyung.com