Indonesian driver first hire under Japan's skilled worker visa

Iyus, an Indonesian who first arrived in Japan in 2013, will work as a tour bus driver. Tokyo aims to welcome thousands of foreign workers to address labor shortages in various sectors, including transportation.

Tokyo (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The Japanese transportation sector is preparing to welcome a foreign driver hired under the new skilled worker visa, which was extended last year to include the road transportation sector. Iyus, a 40-year-old Indonesian citizen, will be the first bus driver to benefit from the revised legislation, officially starting work in the coming months.

Iyus arrived in Japan in 2013, where he attended a language school and then worked at a travel agency. He later joined Nikko Kanko Bus, a company based in Tokyo. Last December he passed the qualifying exam that certifies his professional and linguistic skills and, after obtaining his license to drive large vehicles, he is now preparing to take on the role of tour bus driver.

“I wanted to be a bus driver. It feels like a dream,” Iyus said at a press conference in Okayama earlier this month. ”I want to introduce people to Japan's tourist spots and visit them together.”

The shortage of bus drivers is a growing challenge for Japan. The government predicts that by 2029 the country could have a deficit of around 22,000 public and tourist bus drivers.

Among the main factors contributing to this emergency are the declining population and the recent revision of labor legislation, which has reduced the maximum hours allowed for drivers, limiting the number of working hours and increasing the need for new drivers.

To address the situation, the Japanese government decided to expand the scope of the visa for specialized workers, which already exists for other job categories, with a reform approved in March of last year.

Tokyo's goal is to welcome up to 24,500 foreign drivers – including bus, truck and taxi drivers – in the coming years. The Specified Skilled Worker visa allows foreign workers to reside and work in Japan for a maximum period of five years.

If the program is successful, the initiative is expected to expand to include additional professional roles, thus strengthening cooperation between Japan and the Southeast Asian nations from which many immigrant workers originate.