FUKUSHIMA, Dec 20 – A team of students from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia has represented Malaysia on a highly specialised international platform, participating in the 10th Fukushima Decommission Robot Contest held at the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), Naraha Center for Remote Control Technology Development, Japan.
The five-member team from the Malaysia–Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT) was among selected institutions invited to compete in the contest, which focuses on robotic solutions for nuclear decommissioning and disaster-response environments. The programme brought together teams from 12 institutions across Japan and the region, including leading Japanese technical colleges and universities.
Organised in Fukushima Prefecture, the competition was established in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake and nuclear disaster to advance innovation, research and talent development in robotics for high-risk, real-world applications. Participation at the JAEA facility reflects the high level of trust and technical standards required for teams operating in sensitive engineering environments.
MJIIT’s participation was fully sponsored by the host institution, National Institute of Technology, Fukushima College, which covered international travel, local transport and accommodation throughout the programme from 16 to 21 December 2025. During the visit, the UTM delegation was received by the President of Fukushima College, Okamoto Takahiro, underscoring the strength of academic and institutional ties between the two institutions.
Prior to the competition, the team was given time to reassemble and recalibrate their robot on site, followed by full-scale test runs under actual competition conditions. The challenge required remotely operated mobile robots to navigate confined pipelines, descend steep staircases, retrieve simulated contaminated debris and return safely to the starting point. These tasks reflect the operational realities of nuclear decommissioning and disaster-response scenarios.
While the competition field was highly competitive, particularly among Japanese technical colleges with long-standing expertise in applied robotics, the MJIIT team demonstrated solid technical performance and adaptability under real-world constraints. Their participation provided valuable benchmarking against one of the world’s most rigorous applied engineering ecosystems.
Beyond competition results, the experience offered UTM students direct exposure to international engineering standards, collaborative problem-solving and cross-cultural technical exchange with peers from Japan and other countries. It also reinforced the role of MJIIT as UTM’s strategic platform for deep academic integration with Japan, rather than short-term mobility alone.
For UTM, involvement in platforms such as the Fukushima Decommission Robot Contest reflects a broader commitment to preparing students for global engineering challenges. Through hands-on engagement in high-impact environments, UTM continues to position its graduates as professionals capable of contributing to complex, safety-critical and sustainability-driven industries worldwide.
