Important context for the Chinese Kung Fu bots

For decades, I've heard how Japan is a leader in robotics because they need the technology to keep care of the elderly while their birth rate drops and their workforce shrinks ("demographic collapse" in hyperbolic terms).

Now there's the viral spring gala 2026 kung fu robot performance. But I haven't seen anyone mention that immediately before the kung fu robots was a comedy sketch about robots as companions for the elderly!! I feel like this puts the kung fu robots, performing alongside real kids, in a much different light than how the paranoiac western media has covered the bots