Robots can be asked to perform Buddhist funeral rites in Japan
A 'robot priest' wearing a Buddhist robe chants sutras at it beats a wooden fish. PHOTO: REUTERS
TOKYO (Reuters) - A Japanese company has introduced a new role for SoftBank s humanoid robot "Pepper" - a Buddhist priest for hire at funerals.
Chanting sutras in a computerized voice while tapping a drum, the robot was on display on Wednesday at a funeral industry fair - the Life Ending Industry Expo - in Tokyo.
Nissei Eco Co., an unlisted plastic molding maker, wrote the chanting software for "Pepper", which was introduced by SoftBank Group Corp. in 2014.
With Japan s population ageing and shrinking, many Buddhist priests receive less financial support from their communities, prompting some to find part-time work outside their temple duties, said Michio Inamura, Nissei s executive adviser.
The funeral robot could step in when a priest was not available, he said. It also cost less at 50,000 yen (about $450) per funeral compared to more than 240,000 yen ($2,200) for a human priest.
Buddhist priest Tetsugi Matsuo said he came to the expo to see if Pepper could "impart the heart aspect to a machine because I believe that the heart is the foundation of religion."
The robot has not yet been hired for a funeral.
