NHK has learned that Sapporo City in Hokkaido, northern Japan, says it plans to recruit bus driver candidates abroad and provide the training required for them to work in Japan.
The move, which Japan’s transport ministry says is an unusual step by a municipality, is aimed at addressing an acute labor shortage.
Buses are an essential means of transportation for many people across Japan. But local bus networks have been forced to downsize or discontinue services due to a shortage of drivers.
The prefectural capital plans to recruit candidates from abroad this fiscal year, which began this month.
A business operator assigned by the city will recruit driver candidates in Vietnam. They will receive training to prepare to obtain a Japanese bus driver’s license, along with language lessons, for about a year in their home country.
Under the program, bus operators in Sapporo will potentially hire about 10 people as regular employees. The hires will then be provided with assistance to obtain the necessary credentials until they are fully qualified.
The city and the bus operators will bear the total cost of the program. They also plan to help the bus driver hopefuls learn about Japanese culture and manners.
AloJapan.com