Foreign Bus Drivers Deployed on Local Routes for First Time

Dec 25, 2025 | News On Japan

TOKYO - Foreign nationals have been appointed as drivers on local bus routes for the first time nationwide, using Japan’s Specified Skilled Worker program, in a move aimed at easing chronic labor shortages in the sector.

The familiar onboard announcement asking passengers to fasten their seat belts is now being delivered by a foreign driver behind the wheel of a local route bus. The driver made his debut on the 23rd, marking the first time in Japan that the program has been applied to route bus operations.

Tokyo Bus began operating local bus services driven by foreign nationals on December 23rd in Tokyo and Okinawa, becoming the first company in the country to do so.

Tokyo Bus driver Anacrito Japeto Juarez said he felt nervous carrying passengers for the first time.

Tokyo Bus President Harunari Nishimura said the company is facing a serious shortage of personnel, adding that even raising wages for drivers has failed to attract enough applicants, reflecting the structural difficulties facing the industry.

The Specified Skilled Worker program allows Japan to accept foreign nationals recognized as having specialized skills in industries suffering from acute labor shortages. As driver shortages have led to repeated reductions in local bus services, the automobile transport industry was added to the program’s scope in 2024.

In Tokyo, five foreign drivers from the Philippines have been hired. After undergoing long-term training, they obtained Specified Skilled Worker Type 1 status and officially began driving on December 23rd.

Juarez said he was happy to finally be able to drive in real service, adding that he was glad to transport passengers safely to their destinations. He said that until he becomes a fully fledged driver, his sole focus every day will be safe driving.

Newly deployed foreign drivers are initially supported by Japanese drivers but are expected to operate independently after several months.

Nishimura said the company hopes to expand the initiative to help resolve driver shortages, gain public understanding, and ensure that passengers feel comfortable and safe riding buses driven by foreign nationals as quickly as possible.

Source: FNN

The Danger of Hail Falling at 100 km/h

Large hailstones falling at speeds exceeding 100 kilometers per hour highlighted the dangers of severe weather after unstable conditions brought heavy rain and hail to parts of eastern and northern Japan on June 12th, with experts warning that hailstorms can now occur at any time of year and are becoming increasingly difficult to predict.

Japan Arrives In Dallas Ahead Of World Cup Opener Against Netherlands

Japan's national soccer team arrived in Dallas, Texas, on June 12th after completing final preparations near Nashville, Tennessee, ahead of its opening Group F match against the Netherlands at the FIFA World Cup in North America.

Japan Moves To Tackle Potty Parity

The Japanese government on June 12th released new guidelines calling for women’s toilets to have at least as many fixtures as men’s toilets in public facilities, seeking to address the persistent problem of long queues at women’s restrooms in places such as train stations and event venues.

Captain Endo Withdraws From Japan Squad

Japan captain Wataru Endo has withdrawn from the national team's World Cup squad due to injury and announced his retirement from international soccer, dealing a major blow ahead of Japan's Group F opener against the Netherlands on June 14th (June 15th Japan time), as the team continued preparations near Nashville, Tennessee, on June 11th.

Veteran Photographer Documents Changing Bear Behavior

As bear sightings continue at an unusually high pace across Akita Prefecture, a veteran wildlife photographer who has spent nearly 30 years observing and photographing Asian black bears says the animals are appearing more frequently, moving closer to human settlements, and increasingly adapting their behavior to survive.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Education NEWS

Veteran Photographer Documents Changing Bear Behavior

Blue Angels Cheer Squad Capturing Hearts

The Blue Angels, the cheerleading squad of Joto High School's support and cheering club, are winning over audiences with their sparkling smiles and dynamic performances.

Okinawa Students Support Network to Tackle Menstrual Poverty

A group of university students in Okinawa is working to combat menstrual poverty and improve understanding of menstruation through educational programs aimed at both children and adults, addressing a problem that affects roughly one in three young women in Japan.

Japan Ranks Last Among OECD Countries in Sleep

Japan, which records the shortest average sleep duration among OECD countries, is launching new efforts to tackle widespread sleep deprivation, including the opening of specialized sleep disorder departments and programs aimed at improving children's sleep habits through sports and physical activity.

Why Birthrates Differ Between Kyoto and Shiga

Birthrates in neighboring Kyoto and Shiga prefectures have moved in opposite directions, with experts pointing to housing costs, commuting convenience, and stable employment as key factors shaping where young families choose to live.

How Historical Revisionism Fuels Modern Prejudice Against Ainu

A panel exhibition held in Sapporo this year has reignited debate over what many experts and Ainu activists describe as a new form of discrimination—one that denies the Indigenous status of the Ainu people and seeks to reinterpret the history of discrimination they endured in Japan.

Japan Toothbrushing Drill Draws Record 326,000 Students

Elementary school students across Japan took part in the National Elementary School Toothbrushing Event on June 5th, with children at approximately 6,000 schools learning proper brushing techniques and oral hygiene practices under the guidance of dental hygienists.

Japan's Birth Rate Falls to Record Low 1.14

Japan's total fertility rate, which represents the average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime, fell to a record low of 1.14 in 2025, underscoring the country's deepening demographic challenges.

< 2 3 4 5 >