Cabinet minister Hiroshige Seko said the government will host a World Robot Summit in 2020 with the aim of promoting competition in speed, accuracy and quality of robot performance in the manufacturing and service sectors.

The international convention is expected to offer the robot industry an opportunity to accelerate research and development.

"We would like to gather robots using cutting edge technology and ideas from across the world," Seko, head of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, said Tuesday.

Last year, the government drew up a strategy to utilize robot technology in fields such as nursing care, medical treatment and agriculture and fisheries in the face of the aging population and infrastructure issues.

METI as started soliciting candidate municipalities to host the event.