KUALA LUMPUR - A Yamato Group affiliate has announced the recruitment of three Vietnamese candidates as medium-sized truck drivers under Japan’s Specified Skilled Worker program, marking the company’s first use of the visa system for foreign drivers.

Yamato Group subsidiary Nakano Shokai said on February 3 that the three recruits, aged in their 20s and 30s, formally joined the company on February 2.

After receiving training in Japanese traffic regulations and daily living rules, the candidates will accompany experienced Japanese drivers to gain on-the-job experience. 

They are scheduled to begin operating medium-sized trucks for business-to-business transport from June 2026.

The move comes as Japan’s logistics industry faces mounting labor shortages. 

According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the average age of large-truck drivers stands at 50.9 years, about 6.8 years older than the average across all industries.

Research by NX Research Institute estimates that Japan could face a shortage of approximately 210,000 truck drivers by fiscal 2030.

The situation has been exacerbated by the so-called ‘2024 problem’, referring to the April 2024 enforcement of overtime caps under Japan’s work-style reform legislation. 

The new rules limit truck drivers' annual overtime hours to 960, excluding holidays.

Industry observers warn that the regulation may reduce daily transport capacity, lower revenues and profits for logistics companies, decrease drivers’ incomes, and further discourage new entrants to the profession.

In response to chronic labor shortages, the government added the automobile transport industry to the list of sectors eligible under the Specified Skilled Worker (Type 1) visa category in March 2024. 

The policy allows Japan to accept up to 24,500 foreign drivers.

However, experts note that successful implementation will require not only driving skills and sufficient Japanese-language proficiency, but also robust support systems to assist foreign workers with daily life after arriving in Japan.