Tokuiten Launches Daily Operations for Cherry Tomato Harvesting Robot

Tokuiten, a company accelerating the shift to sustainable agriculture, announced on May 25, 2026, that it has completed the demonstration phase of its proprietary suction-based cherry tomato harvesting robot at its farm in Chita, Aichi Prefecture. The system has now transitioned into a production regime where cultivation staff operate the robot as part of their daily routine. This is one of the most advanced examples in Japan of a harvesting robot being continuously operated by farm staff in a real-world environment. With the number of core agricultural workers in Japan declining to approximately 1.02 million by 2025 and the average age reaching 67.7, labor shortages are a critical issue. Harvesting and sorting account for a large portion of labor time in tomato cultivation. Tokuiten began development in 2023 and achieved an automated harvest of 31kg per day per unit by April 2026. The robot operates twice a week, patrolling the farm autonomously at night. Using a unique suction mechanism, it harvests tomatoes without damaging them, with AI determining the ripeness. The company is now seeking partners for joint demonstrations at large-scale farms and aims to implement a six-robot system at a new farm by March 2027.