On August 23, Japanese company SoftBank released its updated robot “Pepper” at the International Funeral and Cemetery Show in Tokyo. Dressed in a monk’s robe, the robot can now offer funeral services with its chanting software. /Photo from news.qq.com

A tablet of sutras (Buddhist scripture) hangs on its neck, allowing "Pepper" to carry out the responsibilities of a Buddhist priest, such as chanting sutras and tapping a wooden fish. /Photo from news.qq.com

A robot priest may sound otherworldly, but it is an affordable and efficient replacement for a human priest, who normally charges 2,200 US dollars. "Pepper" could perform the same job for less than 500 US dollars. /Photo from news.qq.com

Japan has been facing the issue of an aging population for a long time. While the number of priests is very limited, robot priests are expected to meet the large demand for priests at funerals. /Photo from news.qq.com