Southwest Japan's Saga Pref. to trial model project to accept foreign truck drivers
SAGA -- The Saga Prefectural Government on June 5 announced it is preparing to launch a model project aimed at accepting foreign truck drivers through a public-private partnership, describing it as the first such initiative in Japan.
The prefecture will propose a supplementary budget earmarking 5 million yen (about $34,790) for the project during a prefectural assembly meeting to be convened June 12.
According to the prefectural government, the initiative responds to local calls to utilize foreign personnel amid labor shortages in the distribution industry. The prefecture will handle support for visa applications and collaborate with the local trucking association, driving schools, and the Saga Prefecture International Relations Association to provide driving training and lifestyle support.
The model project plans to accept three individuals from Thailand, a country with which Saga has established connections through film location shoots, with operations expected to begin in April 2026. The model will be used to evaluate challenges and other aspects of the initiative.
Additionally, in the June supplementary budget proposal, the prefecture plans to allocate 13 million yen (around $90,000) for strategies to increase travel to and from Taipei and Shanghai, coinciding with increased flights at Kyushu-Saga International Airport, alongside existing measures to promote inbound tourism.
(Japanese original by Takaharu Nishi, Saga Bureau)
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