Rakuten Launches AI Robot Delivery Service in Tokyo

Tokyo, Japan—Rakuten Group Inc. launched its first autonomous robot delivery service in Tokyo on Wednesday. 

The service offers items from Starbucks, the supermarket Bunka-do, and Yoshinoya restaurants to customers in the Harumi area.

The "Rakuten Unmanned Delivery" service will operate daily from 10:00 to 21:00, including during nighttime and rainy weather. 

Robots will travel at speeds up to 5.4 km/h without human escorts.

Customers can order over 5,300 items through a dedicated smartphone site and receive deliveries at 62 designated locations across the Harumi, Tsukishima, and Kachidoki districts. 

The service promises delivery times as short as 30 minutes, and orders can be placed up to six days in advance.

The delivery robots, developed by Cartken Inc. and customized by Mitsubishi Electric subsidiary Melco Mobility Solutions, incorporate AI models and collision avoidance systems. 

The robots have passed safety standards set by the Robot Delivery Association.

The service comes as Japan grapples with a severe logistics labor shortage, particularly acute since 2024. 

Rakuten has conducted multiple pilot programs since March 2021, when it launched Japan's first public road trials for autonomous delivery robots.

The project receives support from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's fiscal 2023 supplementary budget for advanced logistics efficiency demonstration projects.

Rakuten charges a delivery fee of JPY 100 ($0.66) per order. Payments are accepted via credit cards, Rakuten Points, and Rakuten Cash.