ANA Holdings on Thursday opened what it says is the world's first store where customers can shop remotely using a robotic avatar. The robots, standing 1.5 meters tall, will be employed through Dec. 24 at the store in a shopping mall in the Nihonbashi district of Tokyo, in collaboration with Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings. Using a computer, can control the robots from anywhere in the country and shop for items in the gift store as though they were there. No actual customers will be allowed to physically enter the store. Online registration is required to use the service, said ANA, which plans to introduce as many as 1,000 avatar robots across Japan. | KYODO
