TOKYO -- Japanese electronics retailer Bic Camera will make robotic power suits standard for logistics center workers as part of efforts to draw elderly hires and address a labor shortage.

The Cray X suit, developed by startup German Bionic, will be made available at a pair of warehouses in Chiba and Saitama prefectures. Bic Camera has been employing the suits on a trial basis since Tuesday, and they will be shared among most of the 700 workers as soon as mid-January.

The power suit, worn like a backpack, is equipped with an exoskeleton that supports the lower back and thighs. The technology provides up to 25 kg of lifting assistance.

Bic Camera will use the Cray X in work assignments that demand physical labor, such as offloading freight or placing packages on carriers. The wearer is able to maintain the correct posture, which is said to reduce injuries and bone damage.

"Microwaves can weigh 30 kilograms, so they are hard to lift," said a Bic Camera representative.

Bic Camera first encountered the power suit at an event focused on business improvement ideas. The retailer decided to adopt the suit after testing its effectiveness. Bic Camera has not revealed the investment amount or the number of suits it will acquire.

The Cray X is expected to help with worker recruitment. The rise of internet shopping has increased the workload at logistic centers. Yet securing manpower has become increasingly difficult. Bic Camera can potentially raise the age limit of hires by adopting the power suit.