Sagamihara City to Hold the 'Sagamihara Future Forum' to Commemorate 'Sagamihara Robot Friendly Day' on June 10th!

In Sagamihara City, a hub for advanced technology, June 10th has been designated as 'Sagamihara Robot Friendly Day,' a day to experience robots and reflect on the future society, and was officially registered with the Japan Anniversary Association in February of the 8th year of Reiwa (2026).

To commemorate this day, the city will hold the first 'Sagamihara Future Forum,' where citizens, businesses, and students can think together about a future where we live with robots.

- About the 'Sagamihara Future Forum'

The forum will feature keynote speeches and talk sessions by researchers, corporate representatives, and municipal officials on themes such as robotics, space, and AI.

With declining birth rates and an aging population, robots and AI are expected to support our daily lives not only in industry but also in logistics, nursing care, education, and life support.

This event is the core event of 'Robot WEEK,' which aims to foster a culture that accepts robots as familiar partners rather than special entities. It is an open event for anyone to share the vision of 'urban development that coexists with robots' promoted by Sagamihara City.

- Forum Overview

<Date and Time> June 10, 2026 (Wed), 14:00 - 16:00 <Venue> Sagamihara Industrial Hall, Multi-purpose Hall (3-12-1 Chuo, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara City) <Capacity> 100 people (Free, pre-registration required) <Organizer> Sagamihara City <Co-organizers> Sagamihara Industrial Promotion Foundation, Sagamihara Industry Creation Center Co., Ltd.

- Program Details

Keynote 1: 'The Future of Space Exploration and Robotics' Speaker: Professor Shinichiro Sakai, Department of Spacecraft Engineering, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS/JAXA)

Keynote 2: 'Future Society Pioneered by AI and Digital Twins' Speaker: Dr. Hiroshi Yoshida, Senior Researcher, Cyber-Physical Intelligence Research Laboratories, NEC Corporation

Panel Discussion: 'Future Society Coexisting with Robots' (Panelists) - Tomomasa Sato, Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo - Shinichiro Sakai, Professor, ISAS/JAXA - Hiroshi Yoshida, Senior Researcher, NEC Corporation - Kentaro Motomura, Mayor of Sagamihara City (Facilitator) - Keisuke Fujimoto, Chairman of Sagamihara Robot Business Council