No. 1Published by the Cura editorial desk

Published by

The Cura Driver Times

Truck, taxi, bus and warehouse work in Japan, read through numbers and rules

BREAKING

Top StoryLicenses · Policy

New to driving? The door is widerLarge and Class 2 licenses from 19; a standard Class 2 in as little as 3 days

Special eligibility training (in force May 13, 2022), shorter standard Class 2 training (in force Sept 1, 2025), and the start dates for automatic-only large licenses

Large / Class 2 test age

21→19 yrs

Experience 3 years → 1 (special training, in force May 13, 2022)

Standard Class 2 training

6→3 days

40 → 29 periods minimum (in force Sept 1, 2025)

Automatic-only large license

Apr 2027

Automatic-only large Class 2: Oct 1, 2027 (NPA)

Sources: NPA, “Revised eligibility for Class 2 and other licenses,” “Revised curriculum for the standard Class 2 license,” “Introduction of automatic-only large licenses”

The ways into truck, taxi and bus driving have widened over the past few years. With special eligibility training (受験資格特例教習), you can sit the test for a large vehicle license (大型免許) or a Class 2 license (二種免許) at 19 with one year of driving experience (in force May 13, 2022). Since Sept 1, 2025, driving-school training for the standard Class 2 license (普通二種免許) that taxi drivers need can be finished in as little as three days. Here are the license classes, and the steps between being hired and driving on your own.

A new license doesn’t mean driving solo right away. Trucking companies give newly hired drivers at least 15 hours of classroom and 20 hours of practical instruction before they drive on duty. Whether the company pays for your license as a trainee, and what you owe back if you leave, are worth checking before you join.

Read the article →

In This Issue

  1. 3daysLicenses · PolicyNew to driving: large and Class 2 licenses from 19, standard Class 2 in 3 days
  2. 2.58×PayDriver openings ratio at 2.58, yet pay trails the average
  3. 960hoursPolicyAfter the “2024 problem”: shortfall outlook revised to 7–25%
  4. 4jobsWorkplaces · PayTaxi, bus or truck: which one?
  5. 31hoursWorkplaces · LicensesWarehouse and forklift work: training and openings
  6. 5jobsWorkplacesWhat to check on a workplace visit: checklists by job
  7. 4.04×Pay · WorkplacesAuto mechanic openings ratio at 4.04

Pay

2.58

Openings-to-applicants ratio for motor vehicle drivers (FY2025). All occupations: 1.10

Drivers wanted: 2.58 openings per job seeker
Yet pay trails the all-occupation average

At Hello Work, Japan’s public employment service, the job openings-to-applicants ratio (有効求人倍率) for “motor vehicle drivers” was 2.58 in FY2025, more than double the 1.10 for all occupations. Yet annualized pay, which we calculated from the Basic Survey on…

Workplaces · Pay

Taxi, bus or truck: which one?

They are all “driving jobs,” but the license you need, the shape of the working day and the age mix at work differ widely

Jobs at a Glance

JobAverage ageUnder 30Annualized payOpenings ratio
Truck (large)51.53.8%≈¥5.07M2.58
Truck (other)50.35.6%≈¥4.49M2.58
Taxi56.84.0%≈¥4.51M2.58
Bus56.02.0%≈¥4.53M2.58
Warehouse etc.46.312.8%≈¥4.07M1.08
Auto maintenance40.628.4%≈¥5.04M4.04

Sources: MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025 (賃金構造基本統計調査; published March 2026; regular workers at firms with 10 or more employees; the share under 30 and annualized pay, i.e. monthly contractual earnings × 12 + annual bonus, are our calculations), and MHLW, Employment indicators (fiscal year) FY2025 (released May 29, 2026). Openings ratios are for mid-level occupation groups: trucks, taxis and buses fall under “motor vehicle drivers,” warehouse work under “carrying workers,” and auto maintenance under “machine maintenance and repair workers.” M = million yen.

From the Sections

Policy & Regulation

Overtime caps, the Improvement Standards, the Logistics Efficiency Act and other rules that shape driving and logistics work, reported with their effective dates.

Licenses & Training

Large, medium, semi-medium, Class 2, towing and forklift qualifications: how to get them, who is eligible, and changes with fixed start dates.

Pay & Job Openings

Pay and job openings by occupation and by prefecture, read from the Basic Survey on Wage Structure and public employment service statistics.

Workplaces

How truck, taxi, bus, warehouse and maintenance workplaces differ, and what to check on a workplace visit or trial shift.

For Employers

Hiring where under-30s are just 2–6% of the workforce.

For hiring managers at trucking, taxi and bus companies: openings ratios, age mix, hiring routes, rule changes from April 2026, and the regulations to keep in mind when you host workplace visits and trial shifts.

Go to For Employers →