At Mizuho Financial Group Inc., reporters were invited to a ceremony in 2015 when Pepper was introduced as a Mizuho employee and stationed in the bank lobby, with an employee card hanging around its neck, to recommend financial products to customers. Today Pepper is no longer with the bank, according to a spokeswoman who declined to elaborate. SoftBank also touted Pepper as a companion for the home. The initial batch of 1,000 units sold out in a minute despite the hefty price tag. Technology journalist Tsutsumu Ishikawa said he “fell in love at first sight” after seeing Mr. Son, the SoftBank chief, present a futuristic picture of living with a chatty Pepper. After arriving at the Ishikawa home, however, Pepper couldn’t recognize the faces of family members or carry on a proper conversation, said Mr. Ishikawa. The robot, connected to the cloud, is supposed to remember the family even after a breakdown, Mr. Ishikawa says, but when Pepper returned home after the repair of a sensor, Pepper greeted him, “Nice to meet you!”