After Trial in Miyazaki, Saga City Pilots “OriHime” Robot to Support Employment of People with Disabilities

By Barrier Free Japan

January 29 2026

Saga City – Across Japan, local governments are turning to avatar robots to expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities, enabling them to work and interact with society without being physically present. A notable example is Saga City, which has begun a pilot program using the avatar robot “OriHime” at its city hall, alongside public awareness efforts held recently in Miyazaki Prefecture. 

Saga City has installed a remotely operated customer-service robot at the main building of Saga City Hall as part of a demonstration project aimed at both improving visitor guidance and creating new employment models for people with disabilities. The robot, “OriHime”, developed by Tokyo-based Ory Laboratory, is being remotely operated by people with disabilities in cooperation with a local Type B Continuous Employment Support facility.

From February 2 through the end of March, one OriHime robot is stationed in the first-floor lobby of the city hall. It serves as an information guide every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from noon to 2 p.m., covering lunchtime hours when staff are away from the information counter. Through this trial, Saga City is assessing operational challenges and exploring the potential for wider use across other municipal departments.

OriHime is a small humanoid robot equipped with a camera, microphone, and speakers. Operators can control its head and arm movements and speak through it using a computer or smartphone, allowing real-time interaction with visitors. The robot has already been used in restaurants and corporate reception settings, and Saga City is leasing it for two months at a monthly cost of 44,000 yen.

Saga Mayor Hidetaka Sakai has emphasized that the initiative aligns with broader reforms to simplify administrative procedures at city hall. He said the city hopes the use of avatar robots will not only create a “future-style” public service experience, but also lead to sustainable employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

Public understanding of avatar robots is also spreading beyond government offices. On December 5 2024, a trial event was held at the Miyakonojo City Museum of Art in Miyazaki Prefecture to introduce avatar robots to the wider public. Visitors interacted with OriHime operated remotely by “Hina,” a woman in her 20s living in Miyazaki City.

Hina, who became physically disabled as a child and uses an electric wheelchair, operates the robot from her home. She currently works remotely as a café server in Tokyo using OriHime, communicating directly with customers despite being unable to travel easily herself. During the event, she demonstrated the robot’s expressive movements, such as raising and lowering its hands and tilting its head, creating a strong sense of presence.

She also spoke candidly about challenges, including serving customers who speak languages other than Japanese or English, explaining how she uses translation tools to communicate. Looking ahead, Hina said she hopes to expand her work using OriHime in new fields. A licensed clinical psychologist, she expressed a desire to one day use the robot to provide counseling and advice to people facing personal difficulties.

Visitors responded positively. One woman in her 40s from Miyakonojo said the technology offered “wonderful possibilities” for people who want to work but face physical barriers, noting that it allows them to connect with many others.