Amid a growing labor shortage, Japanese security firms are investing in the development and deployment of autonomous drones and robots. Join us as we listen to this story in Japanese and learn about expressions related to having or not having enough of something. In the second half of the program, we shine a light on service robots in action. More and more are being rolled out across the hospitality industry, which is also grappling with a lack of workers.
Welcome to "Learn Japanese from the News."
In this program, we'll learn Japanese and about the country through Japanese news stories.
Our headline for today is:
More Security Firms Utilizing Drones and Robots.
I've seen security robots
in train stations and office buildings.
I must not have noticed them, mostly I see cleaning robots rambling around!
Autonomous robots have become quite sophisticated,
and over the past few years more and more are being deployed to patrol and inspect buildings and public spaces.
Now before we listen to the news story in Japanese, let's go over some key terms.
"keebi."
security.
"ayashii."
suspicious.
"jidoo."
automatic.
OK, now let's listen to the story.
Security companies are building new drones
and robots because of a shortage of workers.
Secom has created a security drone.
An AI detects people and vehicles
and notifies (personnel).
It can then chase suspicious individuals.
The drone can patrol a radius of
up to six kilometers.
It can even fly at night, in the rain,
and in windy conditions.
Central Security Patrols is using a robot
that roams around the inside of buildings.
The robot can detect fallen individuals
and dangerous objects such as knives using AI.
They say so far this year they've introduced
twice as many robots as they did last year.
It's really cool to see the robots out there hard at work, but is it OK to let them just patrol all alone?
No need to worry, they're designed to work in tandem with humans.
For example, when one of Secom's security robots detects a suspicious object,
it notifies the facility's central security room,
where an operator checks the video feed and sends a guard to investigate.
- I see. So the robots help make the job more efficient by relieving security staff of having to do those very time-consuming foot patrols.
- Exactly.
OK, now let's review the following sentence from the story.
Security companies are building new drones and
robots because of a shortage of workers.
Now read along with me.
"keebi no kaisha wa
hataraku hito ga tarinai tame
atarashii doroon ya robotto o tsukutte imasu."
So sensee, what expression will we be learning about today?
Today we will learn "tariru / tarinai."
We heard the phrase
"hataraku hito ga tarinai."
Due to the declining population,
Japan is facing a labor shortage.
"Tariru" refers to having what you need.
It describes having enough of something
for a particular purpose.
"Tarinai" describes not having
enough of something.
For example...
"suimin jikan ga tarinai."
(lacking sleep.)
"okane ga tarinai."
(short on money.)
Yes, so "tarinai" usually implies that there's a problem, or that you're in a fix.
Speaking of "tarinai," I also often hear "sukunai" being used in similar contexts.
Is there a difference between these two terms?
Let me explain using these bowls of rice.
Chiara, is this a large amount of rice
or a small amount?
"Hmm, let's see."
"Sochira wa ooi desu."
(That is a large amount.)
"Kochira no hoo wa sukunai desu ne."
(This one is a small amount.)
So "ooi" and "sukunai" describe an amount.
Chiara, how much rice
do you usually eat?
"Kore de tarimasu ka?"
(Is this enough?)
"Sukunai kedo, tarimasu."
(It's a small amount, but it's enough.)
Yoshikawa-san, is this enough for you?
"Ooi desu kedo, watashi ni wa tarinai desu."
(It's a large amount, but it's not enough for me.)
I usually eat a lot.
I see.
So as we've just seen, "tariru / tarinai"
do not describe absolute amounts.
We use them to express whether
an amount is enough for "us."
We also use "tarinai" figuratively.
For example, "kotoba ga tarinai."
Yes.
We say that when an explanation is lacking,
or if the wording could be taken
as insensitive.
Right. So let's say you made someone angry because of a miscommunication or a misunderstanding.
You could apologize by saying,
"Kotoba ga tarinakute, mooshiwake arimasen deshita."
(I apologize, my explanation was lacking.)
Yes.
We use that both in speech and in emails.
Say you're sorry,
and then try explaining it again
more carefully.
I see, so "tarinai" can mean "not enough" in terms of amount as well as in terms of quality,
like the thoroughness of something like a description, which is really interesting.
OK, Tokunaga-sensee, "arigatoo gozaimashita."
"arigatoo gozaimashita."
Inside Japan.
- Hello, adorable friends! Oh!
- Hi!
"Oryoori ga todokimashita."
(Here is your food.)
"Ichi-danme no ryoori o totte kudasai."
(Please take your food from the top tray.)
Yes.
My seven-year-old son met one of these before, and he loved it.
So cute!
The labor shortage has also been affecting the food service industry.
So more restaurants are relying on robots like this to deliver orders to tables.
Some places have even introduced cooking robots.
Chiara-san, what do you think is being prepared here?
Let's see... it seems to be boiling something...
that looks like either udon or soba to me.
Yeah, you got it.
These robot arms cook soba noodles at an eatery in a train station.
They can cook the noodles, drain them, and then rinse them in cold water.
That's amazing. Look at that!
These are just some examples of Japan's shift to automation.
Robots are also being rolled out in hotels, factories and other industries in need of workers.
Check this out.
At this hotel, a team of three robots staff the front desk.
"Irasshai mase."
(Welcome.)
(Hen-na-hoteru e yookoso."
(Welcome to Henn na Hotel.)
"Tacchipaneru nite gengo o sentaku-shite kudasai."
(Please select your language via the touchscreen.)
These robots handle reception duties and can provide guidance in four languages, including Japanese and English.
Just enter your name and other information, and receive your card key.
A hotel this size usually needs a staff of 30.
We only need around 10 people.
The robots help reduce costs.
Robots are being rolled out in many settings to provide better customer service.
In 2020, Haneda Airport introduced self-driving wheelchairs.
They were the first in the world to utilize this type of mobility service.
And it's available for anyone to use.
Just enter your gate number and the vehicle will take you to your destination.
Very comfortable.
They're great if you're feeling tired,
or if you have work to take care of.
It sometimes feels like we're living in one of my favorite sci-fi books!
But it is great to see how robots can be incorporated to help with human problems.
Yeah, right. Here in Japan, so-called self-driving mobility services
have also been introduced at other airports and places such as hospitals.
Yes, I think it's safe to say we'll be seeing a lot more of our little robot friends
and drones integrated into our daily lives.
...and also lending a hand during natural disasters and other times of need.
OK, that's all for today.
- We'll see you next time.
- See you soon.