Japan expands robotics competitions for children

Various robotics competitions for children are expanding across Japan, focusing on programming skills and teamwork. In Adachi, Tokyo, PTC Japan is sponsoring the 2nd Robo Sport Festa, scheduled for September 22–23. This event features four categories, including new competitions like ‘Robo-Jin’ and ‘Robo-Board,’ designed to encourage children to design, program, and operate robots as a team.

Simultaneously, the ProgLab Cup is conducting regional qualifiers, including a recent event in Ota, Tokyo. Managed by the ProgLab Education Business Steering Committee—which includes Hankyu Hanshin Holdings' Mimamorme and Yomiuri TV—the competition uses LEGO blocks to teach problem-solving. Participants compete in categories such as ‘Basic,’ which addresses food loss by tasking robots with collecting vegetables, and ‘High Middle,’ which focuses on future power generation. Top teams from these regional qualifiers will advance to a national championship in Osaka in September 2026.