Amid Driver Crisis, Japan Turns to International Workers and Delivery Adjustments to Keep Services Running

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Japan’s truck and bus driver shortage is disrupting logistics and public transport, prompting convenience stores and transportation firms to adjust delivery schedules and recruit international workers.

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TOKYO, JAPAN (MERXWIRE) – Japan is facing a severe shortage of truck and bus drivers, impacting logistics networks and public transportation. To address this challenge, major convenience store chains and transportation companies are adjusting their strategies, including reducing delivery frequencies and introducing overseas training programs for students to ensure operational continuity.

FamilyMart announced that, effective September 16th, it will reduce the number of onigiri and bento deliveries from three to two per day at over 540 stores in Toyama, Ishikawa, and Fukui prefectures. The company is increasing the quantity delivered per delivery and improving production processes to extend the shelf life of products, mitigating the impact on sales prices.

Similarly, 7-Eleven and Lawson have also reduced their delivery frequencies. 7-Eleven, primarily targeting stores outside urban areas, will reduce its daily delivery frequency from four to three times, while Lawson will reduce its deliveries within urban regions from three to two times. FamilyMart and Lawson have been jointly delivering in the Tohoku region since last year, signaling a re-evaluation of the convenience store industry’s overall logistics network.

Beyond the logistics sector, bus services are also suffering from driver shortages, with some routes forced to suspend or reduce service. The city of Sapporo recently partnered with bus companies and Japanese language schools to launch the “International Student Driver Demonstration Program.” Starting in April of this year, bus companies will recruit Burmese international students attending Japanese language schools in Sapporo to work part-time as bus operators, providing support with Japanese language learning and obtaining a driver’s license. The program also includes rent, tuition subsidies, and living expenses to enable international students to become full-time bus drivers upon graduation.

Currently, some Japanese transportation companies have taken the lead in hiring foreign workers from Myanmar, Nepal, and other countries, transitioning them into professional drivers through the “Specified Skilled Worker” program. As the labor shortage widens, the logistics and transportation industries are actively seeking long-term solutions to alleviate the driver shortage through institutional innovation and the recruitment of international talent.