To distinguish their approach to hospitality, the word omotenashi (roughly translated as ‘selfless hospitality’) dominated Japan’s bid for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The concept – which is being treated as a potential cultural export – is now being fused with another key export – robotics.

From ramen shops to sushi stands, there’s no doubt that eating out is big business in Japan. But authentic, local dining is off-limits to many foreigners due to the formidable language barrier that persists outside major cities. Could an app get tourists to pick up the chopsticks?

While the immediate future is unlikely to yield AI pseudo-human carers, the notion of robots aiding the elderly is closer than ever. All over the world – especially in Japan, where more than a quarter of the population is over 65 – technology and healthcare are starting to overlap.

What will the stores of the future look like? Japanese mobile provider Softbank thinks robot assistants are the way to go, and have announced that 'Pepper' – the "world's first personal robot with emotions" – will be staffing two Tokyo branches on a trial basis.