Japan's Noetra AI Robotics Venture Receives $2.3B Government Backing

Noetra, a government‑backed company developing a foundational model for physical artificial intelligence and robots, said its CEO Hironobu Tamba that the project is Japan's "last chance" to stay competitive in the global AI race.

The initiative is funded with more than 380 billion yen (about $2.3 billion) for its first year and is backed by 44 firms, including SoftBank, Honda and Sony. Noetra will procure 27,500 Nvidia Rubin AI chips, begin construction of its AI infrastructure in April 2027 and start operations in June 2028.

The company aims to give Japanese enterprises a reliable, safe AI model they can run on‑premises, allowing them to manage their own data. The Japanese government, under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, also supports related projects such as the Rapidus semiconductor venture and targets the deployment of 10 million AI‑enabled robots by 2040 across manufacturing, shipbuilding and nursing.