INTERNATIONAL ROBOT EXHIBITION
iREX — Where the Global Robotics Industry Comes Together
From robot hardware to intelligent systems, iREX brings the global robotics ecosystem together.
iREX — Where the Global Robotics Industry Comes Together
One of the world's largest specialized robotics exhibitions — since 1974 in Japan, every two years.
The INTERNATIONAL ROBOT EXHIBITION (iREX) is one of the world's largest specialized exhibitions dedicated to robotics and robot-related technologies.
Held in Japan since 1974, iREX has been organized every two years, bringing together robot manufacturers, technology companies, component suppliers, system integrators, researchers and industry professionals from around the world.
The exhibition provides a comprehensive view of the robotics industry — from industrial robots and service robots to AI, sensors, actuators, control systems and other core technologies.
At iREX, the latest robotics technologies are presented under one roof, giving visitors a direct look at how robots are being developed, deployed and integrated into industry and society.([日刊工業新聞 IREX][1])
“From robot hardware to intelligent systems, iREX brings the global robotics ecosystem together.”
What Is IREX?
A Global Showcase of Robotics Technology — organized by JARA and Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun.
The International Robot Exhibition, commonly known as iREX, is a major robotics trade show organized in Japan by the Japan Robot Association (JARA) and The Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun.
The exhibition was first held in 1974 and has been held biennially ever since.
The 2025 edition marked the 26th International Robot Exhibition.([日刊工業新聞 IREX][1])
Unlike events focused on a single robot category, iREX covers a broad section of the robotics value chain.
Visitors can encounter:
- Industrial robots
- Collaborative robots
- Robot arms
- Agricultural robots
- Service robots
- Mobile robots
- Humanoid robots
- Medical and welfare robots
- Logistics robots
- AGVs and AMRs
- Drones
- AI and vision systems
- Sensors
- Motors and actuators
- Reducers
- Batteries
- Control systems
- Robotics software
- Safety technologies
- Robot system integration
This breadth is one of the defining characteristics of iREX.
A History of Robotics in Japan
More Than 50 Years of Robot Innovation
The history of iREX closely follows the development of Japan's robotics industry.
The first International Robot Exhibition was held in 1974, at a time when industrial robots were beginning to transform manufacturing.
Since then, the exhibition has continued to be held every two years.
Over more than five decades, iREX has evolved alongside major changes in robotics:
- Origins · 1970s–80sIndustrial AutomationThe rise of dedicated industrial machines on the factory floor.
- Boom · 1980s–90sFactory RoboticsWelding, painting, assembly and material-handling robots transform manufacturing.
- Adaptability · 1990s–2000sFlexible AutomationRobots begin to handle mixed production lines and more varied tasks.
- Cobots · 2010sCollaborative RobotsRobots that work side-by-side with humans without heavy safety cages.
- Society · 2010s–2020sService RoboticsRobots move beyond factories into retail, healthcare and public spaces.
- AI era · 2020sAI-Powered RoboticsPerception, vision and learned control become standard capabilities.
- Physical AI · TodayEmbodied IntelligenceGeneral-purpose robots learn to act in unstructured real-world environments.
The exhibition therefore provides an unusually long-running record of how robotics technology has developed from specialized industrial machines into increasingly intelligent and flexible robotic systems.
Why IREX Matters
A Meeting Point for the Robotics Industry
The purpose of iREX is not simply to display robots.
According to the organizers, the exhibition brings industrial and service robots and related equipment from around the world together in one place, with the aim of contributing to new market creation and the advancement of robot-related industrial technology.([日刊工業新聞 IREX][2])
That makes iREX particularly important for understanding the commercial side of robotics.
The exhibition connects:
Companies developing complete robotic platforms and systems.
Companies providing sensors, motors, actuators, controllers, batteries and other components.
Organizations that combine robots, software and production equipment into complete automation systems.
Manufacturers and other organizations looking for practical automation solutions.
Universities and research institutions developing new robotics technologies.
The result is an ecosystem rather than a simple product showcase.
Three Core Exhibition Fields
The Robotics Industry, Organized by Application — Smart Production, Smart Community, Component Technologies.
For iREX2025, the exhibition's main categories were reorganized around three major fields:
Robots and related technologies designed to support production, manufacturing and industrial operations.
Typical applications include:
- —Welding
- —Painting
- —Material handling
- —Assembly
- —Inspection
- —Measurement
- —Sorting
- —Picking
- —Warehouse management
- —AGVs
- —AMRs
- —Drones
The category reflects the continued importance of robotics in manufacturing while expanding toward logistics, construction and other production-related environments.([日刊工業新聞 IREX][1])
Robots designed to operate with people and support daily life and society.
Applications include:
- —Servicerobots robots
- —Receptionrobots robots
- —Guiderobots robots
- —Cleaningrobots robots
- —Food-servicerobots robots
- —Deliveryrobots robots
- —Remote-operatedrobots robots
- —Nursing-carerobots robots
- —Medicalrobots robots
- —Mobilityrobots robots
These systems demonstrate how robotics is expanding beyond factories into public spaces, healthcare, retail, hospitality and everyday life.([日刊工業新聞 IREX][1])
The technologies that make robotic systems possible.
This category includes:
- —Sensors
- —Artificial intelligence
- —Image processing
- —Control technologies
- —Software
- —Communication technologies
- —Safety technologies
- —Motors
- —Actuators
- —Reducers
- —Batteries
These technologies may not always be visible to the public, but they form the underlying infrastructure of modern robotics.([日刊工業新聞 IREX][1])
Specialized Exhibition Zones
Beyond the Main Robotics Categories
iREX2025 also included specialized zones dedicated to areas surrounding the robotics ecosystem.
Focused on robot system integrators, including:
- Development
- System design
- Maintenance
- Factory automation
- Logistics
- Retail
- Service industries
Focused on technologies for supplying and positioning components within automated production systems.
Focused on robotics and automation for:
- Warehousing
- Transportation
- Sorting
- Picking
- Distribution
- Logistics operations
These specialized zones demonstrate that robotics is not simply about the robot itself.
A successful robotic system often depends on the integration of hardware, software, logistics infrastructure and production processes.([日刊工業新聞 IREX][3])
From Industrial Robots to Humanoid Robots
The Changing Face of Robotics
For much of its history, iREX has been strongly associated with industrial automation.
Companies such as major Japanese robot manufacturers have traditionally showcased robotic arms, welding systems, material-handling robots and factory automation.
But the robotics landscape is changing.
Recent editions have increasingly highlighted:
The 2025 exhibition attracted particular attention for physical AI and humanoid robots, reflecting the industry's movement toward robots capable of operating in less structured environments.([SEISANZAI Japan][4])
Humanoid Robots at IREX
From Factory Automation to General-Purpose Machines
Humanoid robotics represents one of the most visible changes taking place within the broader robotics industry.
Unlike traditional industrial robots designed around specific production tasks, humanoid robots are being developed with more general-purpose physical capabilities.
At iREX, humanoid robotics can be viewed alongside the technologies that support the wider robotics ecosystem:
- 01Actuators
- 02Motors
- 03Sensors
- 04Vision
- 05AI
- 06Motion control
- 07Manipulation
- 08Safety systems
- 09Batteries
- 10Robot operating software
This makes iREX particularly useful for understanding humanoid robots not simply as standalone machines, but as part of a much larger technological stack.
Physical AI
When AI Enters the Physical World
One of the major themes emerging around recent iREX editions is Physical AI.
Traditional AI primarily operates in digital environments.
Robots must operate in the physical world. They must:
This requires the integration of artificial intelligence with robotics hardware.
At iREX, physical AI can therefore be viewed across the entire robotics stack — from sensors and vision systems to robot control, manipulation and autonomous operation.
The growing presence of physical AI reflects a broader transition:
“AI is moving from processing information to acting in the physical world.”
Robotics for Manufacturing
The Industrial Foundation of IREX — Precision / Repeatability / Speed / Consistency / Safety.
Despite the rise of humanoids and AI, manufacturing remains at the heart of iREX.
Industrial robots continue to perform critical tasks including:
- 1Welding
- 2Painting
- 3Assembly
- 4Palletizing
- 5Material handling
- 6Inspection
- 7Packaging
- 8Machine tending
- 9Picking
- 10Sorting
These applications benefit from the strengths of robots:
The continued development of these technologies is particularly important as manufacturers face labor shortages, rising production complexity and increasing demand for flexible automation.
Robotics for Logistics
Automating the Movement of Goods
Logistics is another major area represented at iREX.
Modern logistics systems increasingly combine:
- Autonomous mobile robots
- Automated guided vehicles
- Robotic arms
- Computer vision
- Warehouse management software
- Automated storage systems
- Picking systems
- Sorting systems
The objective is not simply to automate one task.
Instead, robotics is becoming part of an integrated logistics workflow:
Receive → Store → Pick → Sort → Move → Pack → Ship
This creates a major opportunity for robotics as e-commerce, manufacturing and distribution systems become increasingly automated.
Robotics for Everyday Life
Robots Beyond the Factory
Smart Community Robots represent another important direction at iREX.
Robots are increasingly being developed for environments where they interact directly with people.
Examples include:
- Hotels
- Restaurants
- Hospitals
- Retail stores
- Offices
- Public facilities
- Care facilities
- Transportation hubs
- Homes
These applications require capabilities that differ from traditional industrial automation.
Robots must often:
- Navigate dynamic environments
- Detect people
- Communicate
- Operate safely
- Adapt to changing conditions
- Work alongside humans
This is one reason AI, perception and autonomous navigation have become increasingly important in robotics.
The Robot Components Behind the Machines
The Technologies You Don't Always See
A robot exhibition is not only about complete robots.
Many of the most important technologies are hidden inside the machine.
iREX provides a window into this underlying ecosystem.
Together, these technologies determine what a robot can actually do.
A Global Robotics Exhibition
Japan at the Center of the Robotics Industry
Although iREX is held in Tokyo, its exhibitors and visitors extend well beyond Japan.
The 2025 edition included 140 overseas companies from 13 countries and regions, occupying 481 booths.([日刊工業新聞 IREX][5])
The international exhibitor base included companies and organizations from areas such as:
The exhibition therefore serves as an international meeting point for the robotics supply chain.
IREX 2025
The 26th International Robot Exhibition
The latest completed edition was held from:
The theme was:
“Sustainable Societies Through Robotics”
The event focused on how humans and robots can coexist and collaborate to create new industries and address social challenges.([日刊工業新聞 IREX][1])
IREX 2025 by the Numbers
Record exhibitor count — 11 official metrics.
The 2025 exhibition set a record for the number of exhibitors.
The 673 exhibitors represented the highest exhibitor count in iREX history. The 2025 event also attracted 156,110 onsite visitors, including 10,147 visitors from 95 countries and regions.([日刊工業新聞 IREX][5])
A Record Number of Exhibitors
673 Companies and Organizations
One of the most notable achievements of iREX2025 was its record number of exhibitors.
The event brought together 673 companies and organizations, exceeding the previous record of 654 exhibitors at iREX2023.
Interestingly, the total number of booths decreased from 3,508 to 3,334 because of renovation work at Tokyo Big Sight.
This means that the growth in exhibitor count was achieved despite reduced available exhibition space.([日刊工業新聞 IREX][5])
156,110 Visitors
A Major Global Robotics Audience
The 2025 exhibition attracted:
Daily attendance was:
The event also recorded 10,147 overseas visitors from 95 countries and regions.([日刊工業新聞 IREX][5])
These numbers underline iREX's role as an international robotics industry event rather than a purely domestic Japanese exhibition.
IREX ONLINE
Extending the Exhibition Beyond Tokyo
iREX2025 was also available through an online exhibition platform.
The iREX ONLINE event ran from:
The online venue allowed visitors to explore exhibitors and robotics technologies digitally beyond the physical Tokyo exhibition.([日刊工業新聞 IREX][1])
This hybrid approach extends the reach of the exhibition beyond visitors physically attending Tokyo Big Sight.
More Than a Trade Show
A Platform for Technology Discovery
For robotics professionals, iREX provides several different functions.
See the latest robotic products and technologies.
Explore different approaches from competing robotics companies.
Meet manufacturers, suppliers, system integrators and technology partners.
Attend seminars, presentations and technology demonstrations.
See robots operating in practical application scenarios.
Understand where the robotics industry is heading.
This combination makes iREX useful not only for buyers, but also for researchers, engineers, investors, students and robotics enthusiasts.
Why IREX Is Important for Robotics
Significance lies in its breadth.
The significance of iREX lies in its breadth.
A humanoid robot may attract attention because it looks futuristic.
An industrial robot may be less visually dramatic but perform millions of reliable operations in a factory.
A sensor may be almost invisible.
A motor may occupy only a small part of a robot.
Software may never be physically seen.
Yet all of these technologies are part of the same robotics ecosystem.
iREX brings them together.
That makes the exhibition valuable for understanding not just individual robots, but the infrastructure behind the robotics industry.
IREX and the Future of Robotics
From Automation to Intelligent Machines
The evolution of iREX mirrors the evolution of robotics itself.
For decades, robots were primarily associated with:
Industrial Automation
Today, the industry is moving toward:
Intelligent Automation
And increasingly toward:
Embodied Intelligence
The difference is significant.
Traditional automation asks:
“How can we automate this specific task?”
Modern robotics increasingly asks:
“How can a robot understand and perform a wider range of tasks in a changing environment?”
This shift is driving development in:
- 1AI
- 2Computer vision
- 3Manipulation
- 4Autonomous navigation
- 5Human-robot collaboration
- 6Humanoid robotics
- 7Physical AI
- 8Robot learning
iREX provides a valuable snapshot of this transition.
The Next IREX
IREX 2027
The next International Robot Exhibition is scheduled for early December 2027.
Following the 2025 edition, the organizers announced that the next iREX will take place in early December 2027.([日刊工業新聞 IREX][6])
This means the exhibition continues its established biennial cycle, maintaining its position as one of the world's major recurring events dedicated specifically to robotics.