Company Directory › Robotics › End Effectors & Dexterous Hands › Japan
End effectors & dexterous hands companies in Japan
Japan is home to 8 end effectors & dexterous hands companies listed in the GlobleMatch directory. End effector profiles account for 3 of the focus entries, ahead of entries for robot-hand and vacuum lines and for research robot hands. The eight span over a century, from NITTA in Osaka (1885) to FingerVision in Tokyo (2021). The best-known names include CKD Corporation, CONVUM Ltd., and RT Corporation. Every profile below is compiled from public sources and human-reviewed, and each company can claim and update its profile free of charge.
Key facts
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Category | End effectors & dexterous hands |
| Country | Japan |
| Companies listed | 8 |
| Subcategory focus (top 3 by count) | End Effectors & Dexterous Hands (3), End Effectors & Dexterous Hands (robot-hand / gripper and vacuum lines filed; wider group is FA components and automatic machinery) (1), End Effectors & Dexterous Hands; collaborative robots, research robots and robot hands (listed in this category in the assignment) (1) |
| Data verified | 13 November 2026 |
Market data: Japan
Industrial robot installations, 2025: 36,219 installations, down 19% on the previous year. Even after the fall, the total keeps Japan among the largest national installation markets in this data. Source: IFR World Robotics 2026, press release 2026-09-24.
All 8 companies
| Company | City | What they make or do | Website | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CKD Corporation | Komaki | CKD Corporation is a Japanese automation company established in April 1943 and headquartered in Komaki, Aichi, listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market and the Nagoya Stock Exchange Premier | ckd.co.jp | View profile |
| CONVUM Ltd. | Ota | CONVUM Ltd. is a Japanese vacuum technology manufacturer specialising in components for robot end effectors and factory automation. | convum.co.jp | View profile |
| RT Corporation | Tokyo | RT Corporation is a Japanese robotics company based in Tokyo, developing, manufacturing and selling robots and AI solutions under the idea of the robot as a body for AI, aiming at everyday life with | rt-net.jp | View profile |
| NITTA Corporation | Osaka | NITTA Corporation is a Japanese industrial products company founded in 1885 in Osaka — where it began as Japan’s first manufacturer of power transmission belts — and listed on the Tokyo Stock | nitta.co.jp | View profile |
| Kitagawa Corporation | Fuchu | Kitagawa Corporation is a Japanese manufacturer founded in March 1918 in Fuchu, Hiroshima, whose machine tool accessories business is relevant to robot and automation end effectors through its | kitagawa.com | View profile |
| TAIYO Ltd. | Osaka | TAIYO Ltd., operating as Parker TAIYO, is a Japanese manufacturer of fluid power and motion control products founded on 1 July 1933. | taiyo-ltd.co.jp | View profile |
| FingerVision | Tokyo | FingerVision is a Japanese university-originated startup, established in October 2021 and headquartered in Koto-ku, Tokyo, commercialising vision-based tactile sensing for robots. | fingervision.jp | View profile |
| Kosmek | — | Makes robotic hand changers and hands, positioning equipment and hydraulic workholding systems for factory automation. | kosmek.com | View profile |
Company notes
- CKD Corporation — CKD Corporation is a Japanese automation company established in April 1943 and headquartered in Komaki, Aichi, listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market and the Nagoya Stock Exchange Premier Market.
- CONVUM Ltd. — CONVUM Ltd.
- RT Corporation — RT Corporation is a Japanese robotics company based in Tokyo, developing, manufacturing and selling robots and AI solutions under the idea of the robot as a body for AI, aiming at everyday life with robots.
- NITTA Corporation — NITTA Corporation is a Japanese industrial products company founded in 1885 in Osaka — where it began as Japan’s first manufacturer of power transmission belts — and listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
- Kitagawa Corporation — Kitagawa Corporation is a Japanese manufacturer founded in March 1918 in Fuchu, Hiroshima, whose machine tool accessories business is relevant to robot and automation end effectors through its gripping and workholding technology.
- TAIYO Ltd. — TAIYO Ltd., operating as Parker TAIYO, is a Japanese manufacturer of fluid power and motion control products founded on 1 July 1933.
- FingerVision — FingerVision is a Japanese university-originated startup, established in October 2021 and headquartered in Koto-ku, Tokyo, commercialising vision-based tactile sensing for robots.
- Kosmek — Makes robotic hand changers and hands, positioning equipment and hydraulic workholding systems for factory automation.
How to source end effectors & dexterous hands from Japan
The focus counts on this page lean generalist: the end effectors and dexterous hands heading carries a count of 3, the robot-hand, gripper and vacuum lines filed under a wider factory automation group carry a count of 1, and collaborative robots, research robots and robot hands carry a count of 1. Only eight companies are listed, and unusually for this category, most of them are large, long-established listed manufacturers for whom end effectors are one product line inside a much wider automation business.
CKD Corporation in Komaki, Aichi is the clearest example: established in 1943, it files robot-hand, gripper and vacuum lines within a group spanning factory automation components and automatic machinery, with semiconductor, automotive, pharmaceutical and food customers. CONVUM in Ota, Tokyo is the vacuum specialist, founded in 1951 as Myotoku and renamed in 2022, with group companies in Korea, Thailand and China. NITTA Corporation in Osaka, founded in 1885 as Japan's first manufacturer of power transmission belts, contributes a soft gripper line, and Kitagawa Corporation in Fuchu, Hiroshima, founded in 1918, brings gripping and workholding technology from the machine tool world. TAIYO in Osaka, founded in 1933 and now operating as Parker TAIYO, covers fluid power and motion control, while Kosmek makes robotic hand changers and hydraulic workholding. The outlier is FingerVision in Tokyo, a university-originated startup established in 2021 commercialising vision-based tactile sensors and tactile robot hands, alongside RT Corporation in Tokyo, which develops collaborative and research robots and robot hands for food production, education and research.
When sourcing from Japan in this category, the first question is whether you want a component line from a large listed group or a dedicated hand from a specialist, because lead times, documentation and distribution routes differ between the two. On GlobleMatch you can post a sourcing request free of charge naming the gripper, vacuum or tactile function you need, matching suppliers answer, and introductions are chosen by fit and never sold. Several profiles here sell through group companies and distributors abroad, so the reply also clarifies the correct regional contact.
What to check before you contact
- Most profiles are listed in Tokyo: CKD Corporation (TSE Prime: 6407), CONVUM Ltd. (TSE: 6265), NITTA Corporation (TSE: 5186) and Kitagawa Corporation (TSE: 6317), so filings are available for verification.
- Employee figures are dated and should be refreshed: CKD states 4,641 employees as of 31 March 2025 (company-stated), while the Kitagawa figure of 1,364 dates to March 2019 and the TAIYO figure of 515 to June 2021.
- TAIYO Ltd. operates as Parker TAIYO and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Parker Hannifin Corporation, so confirm whether you are buying from the Japanese company or through the parent group's channels.
- Founding dates span from 1885 (NITTA Corporation) to October 2021 (FingerVision), so product maturity differs sharply between the established groups and the tactile-sensing startup.
Frequently asked questions
How many end effectors & dexterous hands companies are there in Japan?
The GlobleMatch directory lists 8 end effectors & dexterous hands companies based in Japan, verified 13 November 2026. The count changes as new profiles are reviewed and added.
Can I contact these companies directly?
Yes. Open any profile for the company website and contact route, or post a sourcing request and let matching suppliers answer you. For example, the profile of CKD Corporation links to its official website at ckd.co.jp.
Does it cost anything to be listed on this page?
No. Directory profiles are free, human-reviewed, and can be claimed by the company at any time. There is no pay-to-rank. All 8 profiles on this page are listed on the same basis.
What do end effectors & dexterous hands companies in Japan specialise in?
Based on listed profiles, the main focus areas are End Effectors & Dexterous Hands (3), End Effectors & Dexterous Hands (robot-hand / gripper and vacuum lines filed; wider group is FA components and automatic machinery) (1), End Effectors & Dexterous Hands; collaborative robots, research robots and robot hands (listed in this category in the assignment) (1). The general end effectors and dexterous hands heading is the largest counted focus, with 3 of the focus entries.
Run a company in this category? Claim your free profile.
Every company on this page is listed in the GlobleMatch directory with a verified official website as of 13 November 2026. Profiles are compiled from public sources and human-reviewed before they appear; a company can claim its profile free of charge and correct or remove its details at any time.