Japan is facing a labor shortage due to its shrinking population, and many believe that artificial intelligence (AI) can help fill the gap. For example, a company called Eat&Holdings has opened a high-tech factory equipped with AI-powered cameras to detect faulty dumplings on the production lines. By implementing AI, the company has reduced the manpower on the manufacturing line by almost 30%. Additionally, the company has launched an AI-powered cooking robot called I-Robo to help with the labor shortage issue.

Japan’s labor shortfall is expected to worsen as its population continues to decline. The country’s labor force is projected to decline by 12% from 2022 to 2040, resulting in a shortage of 11 million workers. The country also has one of the world’s oldest populations, with 29% of people aged 65 or above. Efforts to boost birth rates have been unsuccessful, and the government is concerned about the country’s ability to function.

AI is being used in various industries to address labor shortages. In the farming industry, where the average age of a Japanese farmer is 68.4 years, AI is used to identify diseases, pests, and weeds for early detection and prevention. Nihon Nohyaku has developed a smartphone app called Nichino AI that provides diagnoses and recommendations for struggling crops. While the app’s accuracy rate is not as good as real experts, it helps compensate for the declining number of experts in the field.

In the education sector, AI is being used to address the shortage of English teachers. Equmenopolis has developed an AI-powered online tool that allows users to have English conversations with an avatar. The tool has been introduced in 50 schools across Japan, providing students with feedback on their pronunciation, grammar, fluency, and vocabulary. While the tool is useful for improving speaking skills, it lacks the human touch and cannot replace human teachers.

The Japanese government is also experimenting with AI to address labor shortages. Yokosuka City is using an AI chatbot called ChatGPT to help with administrative tasks, saving thousands of hours of work annually. The national government’s Digital Agency is using AI to train its staff and explore how AI can be used in the public and private sectors. However, it is important to note that AI is not yet ready to replace human workers and is primarily being used to increase workforce efficiency.

In conclusion, AI is being embraced in Japan as a potential solution to the country’s labor shortages. It is being used in various industries, such as food production, farming, education, and administration. While AI can increase efficiency, it is not a substitute for human workers and is still in the early stages of development.

Original news source: Can AI help solve Japan’s labour shortages? (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: In this activity, students will work in pairs or small groups to summarize the main points of the article. Each group will have a set amount of time to read the article and then create a concise summary of the information. They can then share their summaries with the rest of the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups and assign each group a specific topic related to the article, such as AI in food production or AI in education. Each group will brainstorm a list of questions related to their topic and then conduct an opinion poll within the class. They can record the responses and present their findings to the rest of the class.

– Keyword Hangman
Instructions: Write several keywords from the article on the board, leaving out a few letters. Divide the class into two teams and take turns choosing a keyword and guessing the missing letters. The team that correctly guesses the most keywords wins.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups and assign each group a specific aspect of AI discussed in the article, such as its impact on the labor force or its potential benefits in different industries. Each group will create a list of pros and cons for their assigned aspect and then present their findings to the rest of the class.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: In this activity, students will work individually to make predictions about the future of AI in Japan based on the information in the article. They can consider the potential impact on different industries, the challenges that may arise, and any other relevant factors. After they have made their predictions, they can share them with a partner and discuss their reasoning.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Why is Japan facing a labor shortage?
2. How has AI been implemented in the food production industry in Japan?
3. What is the projected decline in Japan’s labor force from 2022 to 2040?
4. How is AI being used in the farming industry to address labor shortages?
5. What is the purpose of the smartphone app Nichino AI?
6. How is AI being used in the education sector to address the shortage of English teachers?
7. How is the Japanese government experimenting with AI to address labor shortages?
8. What is the role of AI in increasing workforce efficiency in Japan?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Japan is facing a labor shortage due to its shrinking population, and many believe that artificial intelligence (AI) can help fill the gap. For example, a (1)______ called Eat&Holdings has opened a high-tech (2)______ equipped with AI-powered cameras to detect faulty (3)______ on the production (4)______. By implementing AI, the company has reduced the manpower on the manufacturing line by almost 30%. Additionally, the company has launched an AI-powered cooking robot called I-Robo to help with the labor shortage issue.

Japan’s labor shortfall is expected to worsen as its population continues to decline. The country’s labor force is projected to decline by 12% from 2022 to 2040, resulting in a shortage of 11 million workers. The country also has one of the world’s oldest populations, with 29% of people aged 65 or above. Efforts to boost birth rates have been (5)______, and the (6)______ is concerned about the country’s ability to function.

AI is being used in various industries to address labor shortages. In the farming industry, where the average age of a Japanese farmer is 68.4 years, AI is used to identify diseases, pests, and weeds for early detection and prevention. Nihon Nohyaku has developed a smartphone app called (7)______ AI that provides diagnoses and (8)______ for struggling crops. While the app’s accuracy rate is not as good as real experts, it helps compensate for the declining number of experts in the field.

In the education sector, AI is being used to address the shortage of English teachers. Equmenopolis has developed an AI-powered online tool that allows users to have English (9)______ with an avatar. The tool has been introduced in 50 (10)______ across Japan, (11)______ students with feedback on their pronunciation, grammar, fluency, and vocabulary. While the tool is useful for improving speaking skills, it lacks the human touch and cannot replace human teachers.

The Japanese government is also experimenting with AI to address (12)______ shortages. Yokosuka City is using an AI chatbot called ChatGPT to help with administrative tasks, saving thousands of hours of work annually. The national government’s Digital Agency is using AI to train its staff and explore how AI can be used in the public and private sectors. However, it is (13)______ to note that AI is not yet ready to replace human workers and is primarily being used to increase workforce efficiency.

In conclusion, AI is being (14)______ in Japan as a potential solution to the country’s labor (15)______. It is being used in various industries, such as food production, farming, education, and (16)______. While AI can increase efficiency, it is not a substitute for human workers and is still in the early stages of development.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is your opinion on using AI to address labor shortages?
2. How would you feel if your job was replaced by AI?
3. Do you think AI can effectively fill the labor gap in Japan? Why or why not?
4. What are some potential benefits of using AI in the farming industry?
5. How do you think AI can improve the education sector?
6. Do you like the idea of using AI-powered tools for language learning? Why or why not?
7. What are some potential drawbacks of relying on AI in the workplace?
8. How do you think AI can be used to improve administrative tasks?
9. Do you think AI should be used to train government staff? Why or why not?
10. How do you think AI can impact the public and private sectors in Japan?
11. What are some advantages of having human teachers instead of AI-powered tools?
12. How do you think AI can affect the overall workforce efficiency in Japan?
13. Do you think AI will eventually be able to fully replace human workers? Why or why not?
14. How do you think AI can be further developed to address labor shortages?
15. What is your overall impression of the use of AI in Japan to address labor shortages?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. labor
2. AI-powered
3. manufacturing
4. projected
5. diagnoses
6. avatar
7. administrative
8. efficiency
9. compensate
10. implementation
11. workforce
12. detection
13. recommendations
14. declining
15. embrace

Meanings:
(A) Becoming smaller, fewer, or less; decreasing
(B) Work, especially physical work done for wages
(C) Relating to the organization and running of a business or system
(D) Estimated or forecasted based on current trends or data
(E) The ability to accomplish a job with a minimum expenditure of time and effort
(F) Suggestions or proposals as to the best course of action
(G) To accept or support something willingly and enthusiastically
(H) The act of discovering or identifying the presence of something
(I) The process of making products, especially with machines in factories
(J) Operated or controlled by artificial intelligence
(K) Identifications of the nature of an illness or other problem by examination of the symptoms
(L) The people engaged in or available for work, either in a country or in a specific industry
(M) To make up for something lacking or to balance out a deficiency
(N) The process of putting a decision or plan into effect
(O) A graphical representation of a user or the user’s character
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why is Japan facing a labor shortage?
(a) Its economy is declining
(b) There is a lack of job opportunities
(c) The government is not investing in workforce development
(d) Its population is shrinking

2. How has AI helped Eat&Holdings reduce manpower on the manufacturing line?
(a) AI-powered robots cook the dumplings
(b) AI-powered machines package the dumplings
(c) AI-powered cameras detect faulty dumplings
(d) AI-powered sensors monitor the temperature of the dumplings

3. What is the projected decline in Japan’s labor force from 2022 to 2040?
(a) 20%
(b) 12%
(c) 5%
(d) 30%

4. What percentage of Japan’s population is aged 65 or above?
(a) 29%
(b) 15%
(c) 40%
(d) 5%

5. How is AI being used in the farming industry?
(a) To harvest crops
(b) To water plants
(c) To identify diseases, pests, and weeds
(d) To sell produce online

6. What is the name of the AI-powered online tool used to address the shortage of English teachers?
(a) Nichino AI
(b) Equmenopolis
(c) ChatGPT
(d) I-Robo

7. How is Yokosuka City using AI to help with administrative tasks?
(a) With an AI-powered cooking robot
(b) With an AI-powered camera system
(c) With an AI-powered smartphone app
(d) With an AI chatbot called ChatGPT

8. What is the main purpose of using AI in Japan to address labor shortages?
(a) To increase workforce efficiency
(b) To replace human workers completely
(c) To reduce costs for companies
(d) To eliminate the need for job training

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Nihon Nohyaku has developed a smartphone app called Nichino AI that provides diagnoses and recommendations for struggling crops.
2. AI is not being used in the education sector to address the shortage of English teachers.
3. AI is being used in the farming industry to identify diseases, pests, and weeds for early detection and prevention.
4. Japan is not facing a labor shortage due to its shrinking population.
5. By implementing AI, Eat&Holdings has reduced the manpower on the manufacturing line by almost 30%.
6. Eat&Holdings has launched an AI-powered cooking robot called I-Robo to help with the labor shortage issue.
7. Eat&Holdings has closed a high-tech factory equipped with AI-powered cameras to detect faulty dumplings on the production lines.
8. Japan’s labor force is projected to increase by 12% from 2022 to 2040, resulting in a surplus of 11 million workers.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What is one example of how AI is being used in the food production industry in Japan?
2. What is the projected decline in Japan’s labor force from 2022 to 2040?
3. How is AI being used in the farming industry to address labor shortages?
4. What is one way AI is being used in the education sector in Japan?
5. How is the Japanese government experimenting with AI to address labor shortages?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Japan is facing a labor shortage due to its shrinking population.
2. AI has been implemented in the food production industry in Japan by using AI-powered cameras to detect faulty dumplings on the production lines, reducing the need for manpower.
3. Japan’s labor force is projected to decline by 12% from 2022 to 2040, resulting in a shortage of 11 million workers.
4. AI is being used in the farming industry in Japan to identify diseases, pests, and weeds for early detection and prevention.
5. The smartphone app Nichino AI provides diagnoses and recommendations for struggling crops in the farming industry.
6. AI is being used in the education sector in Japan to address the shortage of English teachers by providing an AI-powered online tool that allows students to have English conversations with an avatar and receive feedback.
7. The Japanese government is experimenting with AI to address labor shortages by using an AI chatbot called ChatGPT for administrative tasks and training staff in AI. The Digital Agency is also exploring how AI can be used in the public and private sectors.
8. AI increases workforce efficiency in Japan by automating tasks and reducing the need for human workers in certain industries. However, it is not a substitute for human workers and is still in the early stages of development.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) company
(2) factory
(3) dumplings
(4) lines
(5) unsuccessful
(6) government
(7) Nichino
(8) recommendations
(9) conversations
(10) schools
(11) providing
(12) labor
(13) important
(14) embraced
(15) shortages
(16) administration
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. labor
Answer: (B) Work, especially physical work done for wages

2. AI-powered
Answer: (J) Operated or controlled by artificial intelligence

3. manufacturing
Answer: (I) The process of making products, especially with machines in factories

4. projected
Answer: (D) Estimated or forecasted based on current trends or data

5. diagnoses
Answer: (K) Identifications of the nature of an illness or other problem by examination of the symptoms

6. avatar
Answer: (O) A graphical representation of a user or the user’s character

7. administrative
Answer: (C) Relating to the organization and running of a business or system

8. efficiency
Answer: (E) The ability to accomplish a job with a minimum expenditure of time and effort

9. compensate
Answer: (M) To make up for something lacking or to balance out a deficiency

10. implementation
Answer: (N) The process of putting a decision or plan into effect

11. workforce
Answer: (L) The people engaged in or available for work, either in a country or in a specific industry

12. detection
Answer: (H) The act of discovering or identifying the presence of something

13. recommendations
Answer: (F) Suggestions or proposals as to the best course of action

14. declining
Answer: (A) Becoming smaller, fewer, or less; decreasing

15. embrace
Answer: (G) To accept or support something willingly and enthusiastically
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Why is Japan facing a labor shortage?
Answer: (d) Its population is shrinking

2. How has AI helped Eat&Holdings reduce manpower on the manufacturing line?
Answer: (c) AI-powered cameras detect faulty dumplings

3. What is the projected decline in Japan’s labor force from 2022 to 2040?
Answer: (b) 12%

4. What percentage of Japan’s population is aged 65 or above?
Answer: (a) 29%

5. How is AI being used in the farming industry?
Answer: (c) To identify diseases, pests, and weeds

6. What is the name of the AI-powered online tool used to address the shortage of English teachers?
Answer: (b) Equmenopolis

7. How is Yokosuka City using AI to help with administrative tasks?
Answer: (d) With an AI chatbot called ChatGPT

8. What is the main purpose of using AI in Japan to address labor shortages?
Answer: (a) To increase workforce efficiency
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Nihon Nohyaku has developed a smartphone app called Nichino AI that provides diagnoses and recommendations for struggling crops. (Answer: True)
2. AI is not being used in the education sector to address the shortage of English teachers. (Answer: False)
3. AI is being used in the farming industry to identify diseases, pests, and weeds for early detection and prevention. (Answer: True)
4. Japan is not facing a labor shortage due to its shrinking population. (Answer: False)
5. By implementing AI, Eat&Holdings has reduced the manpower on the manufacturing line by almost 30%. (Answer: True)
6. Eat&Holdings has launched an AI-powered cooking robot called I-Robo to help with the labor shortage issue. (Answer: True)
7. Eat&Holdings has closed a high-tech factory equipped with AI-powered cameras to detect faulty dumplings on the production lines. (Answer: False)
8. Japan’s labor force is projected to increase by 12% from 2022 to 2040, resulting in a surplus of 11 million workers. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧