Japan’s GMO INTERNET GROUP subsidiary GMO AI & Robotics Trading (GMO AIR) has signed a formal agency contract with China’s Unitree Robotics and will officially begin selling Unitree’s humanoid robots G1 and H1, as well as quadruped walking robots, in Japan from June 19, along with supporting services such as custom specification adjustments and robot maintenance. According to the Nikkei Chinese website, since 2025, GMO AIR has been offering enterprise leasing services for the G1 at a daily rate starting from 100,000 yen (about 4,200 yuan), and has received over 100 inquiries, with applications including factory proof-of-concept experiments and event reception. The sale price will depend on the specifications required by the enterprise, and specific figures have not yet been disclosed.
Founded in 2016, Unitree Robotics is a leading company in the humanoid robot field and is currently preparing for an IPO on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, planning to raise 4.2 billion yuan primarily for R&D investments such as AI models. GMO is further expanding its humanoid robot presence: in April, it established a dedicated research lab in its Tokyo headquarters building; since May, it has been collaborating with Japan Airlines (JAL) to start proof-of-concept testing for cargo handling using humanoid robots at Haneda Airport. GMO aims to combine its accumulated technical expertise in communication lines, cloud services, and cybersecurity with its humanoid robot business to form a differentiated competitive advantage.