Tokyo ( CNN ) A crowd gathers near the entrance of Tokyo 's upscale Mitsukoshi Department Store , which traces its roots to a kimono shop in the late 17th century . Fitting with the store 's history , the new greeter wears a traditional Japanese kimono while delivering information to the growing crowd , whose expressions vary from amusement to bewilderment . It 's hard to imagine the store 's founders in the late 1600 's could have imagined this kind of employee . That 's because the greeter is not a human -- it 's a robot . Aiko Chihira is an android manufactured by Toshiba , designed to look and move like a real person . It was put on temporary display at the department store . Toshiba says Chihira has 43 motors allowing it to move , speak in sign language and even sing . The regular greeter , Ayako Seiryu , says she 's not worried about a robot replacing her -- even one made to resemble a real 32-year-old woman . `` Communication is important , '' she says . `` My strength is I can actually talk to people . '' Chihira ca n't have a conversation yet , acknowledges Hitoshi Tokuda , Toshiba spokesperson . But he says the technology is evolving quickly and someday , robots like Chihira could replace humans for certain jobs . A growing number of Japanese businesses are testing out robots as a possible solution to the country 's shrinking workforce . They 're appearing in stores , banks and soon even hotels . Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ is trying out `` Nao , '' a customer service robot that answers basic questions and is designed to speak 19 languages . The robotic polygot could prove useful serving foreign customers during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics . By then , the bank hopes to have even more robots on staff . `` Pepper '' is a humanoid robot that `` chats '' with customers . A humanoid has human-like characteristics such as arms , legs and a head -- but is designed to look like a robot . Pepper first began appearing in Tokyo stores last year . Manufacturer Softbank hopes it 'll eventually be a `` family robot , '' like a sleeker version of Rosie on `` The Jetsons . '' Meet Pepper -- the world 's first emo robot . A hotel scheduled to open at Huis Ten Bosch theme park in Nagasaki this summer plans to have 10 robot staff members and aims to increase that to more than 90 % of hotel services operated by robots . Today 's novelty could be tomorrow 's necessity . Japan has an aging population that has prompted serious talks about how to incorporate robots into the nation 's shrinking workforce . One group that seems willing to embrace robots are Japan 's senior citizens . A survey by nursing home operator Orix Living found more seniors would feel comfortable being cared for by a robot than a foreign nurse . In a nation with a dwindling population , waning workforce , and deep resistance to immigration , it seems robots will only play a larger role in Japan 's future .
Toshiba tests robotic greeter at upscale Tokyo department store . More Japanese businesses are testing out robots as possible solution to Japan 's shrinking workforce .