2030年には3.6万人不足、都心でも進む「バス減便」に打ち出す「外国人人材」の育成【Nスタ解説】｜TBS NEWS DIG

Due to a severe labor shortage, bus routes are being discontinued or reduced in frequency across the country. To secure drivers, bus companies are focusing on hiring foreign personnel. ■ Japan's First Female Bus Driver from a Foreign Country Mitsuki Takayanagi (Anchor): Mahatmi Rismartanti, a woman from Indonesia, has made her debut as a bus driver in Kanagawa Prefecture. She has reportedly been working since March. Manabu Terashima (Reporter, Tokyo Metropolitan Government Section, TBS News Department): After interviewing her, I understood that everyone at the company has high expectations for Mahatmi. I asked Mahatmi, "Aren't you lonely being so far away?" and she replied, "I'm not homesick yet. I feel secure because I have strong support." Even so, she says there are difficulties working in a different country. For example, Japan is known for its strict adherence to time, but when driving a bus, you need to consider not only time but also safe driving, traffic rules, and the passengers. They apparently provide thorough instruction during on-road training to ensure punctual driving. Another surprising thing is that they conduct training that involves "walking" some routes. This training helps them understand "local customs" and how "pedestrian behavior" differs from country to country. Mahatmi smiled and said, "It was a little difficult at first, but I've gotten used to it now." She also mentioned struggling with "customer service language," noting that the word "haiken" (拝見), in phrases like "May I see your commuter pass again?" is quite difficult to use. It was clear that they are not only cultivating their "Japanese language skills" but also carefully studying "the language used in customer service." Harold George May: Besides pronunciation, there are various ways to say "I understand," such as "I acknowledge" or "I understand." I struggled with this a lot myself, so I understand Mahatmi's difficulties very well. TBS News Department, Social Affairs Section, Reporter Terashima: We also interviewed bus users, and many expressed their gratitude. "In areas without trains, buses are essential. We're grateful that people from overseas are taking on this job," and "I wasn't worried at all. It's helpful that people are coming from Indonesia, and that bus services will continue," were some of the comments. ■ Will there be a shortage of 36,000 bus drivers by 2030? Anchor Mitsuki Takayanagi: The reason bus companies have started hiring foreign drivers is a serious shortage of drivers. In 2017, there were 133,000 bus drivers nationwide, but this is projected to decrease to 93,000 by 2030. Since the required number of drivers in 2030 is estimated at 129,000, it is thought that there will be a shortage of 36,000. (According to estimates by the Japan Bus Association) TBS News Department Social Affairs Section Reporter Terashima: While this trend is often associated with starting in regional cities, it seems to be already reaching the city center. Even in the Tokyo Metropolitan Bus system, five routes have been suspended in the last four years (as of March), and there have been significant service reductions on many other routes as well. This issue is being discussed in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and various measures are currently being implemented. I feel that there's a shared sense of crisis among those involved, a feeling that "things will get bad if this continues." Inoue (Anchor): Why are five bus routes being suspended in Tokyo, where the population isn't decreasing? Terashima (Reporter, Social Affairs Department, TBS News Bureau): One reason is that the number of people with bus driver's licenses is decreasing, meaning there are fewer people who can become bus drivers. The difficult part is that even if we improve working conditions and advertise them, the number of drivers won't increase immediately. Training bus drivers also takes time. I think we're experiencing a wave of "skilled labor shortages." ■ How should we respond to the "labor shortage" facing various industries? Harold George May: We often hear about labor shortages in various industries, but in the bus industry, there are only two things we can do: Secure personnel, or adopt technology such as autonomous driving. Regarding autonomous driving, while technology is advancing in Japan and around the world, the practical application of Level 4 (fully autonomous driving under specific conditions) is expected around 2030. Therefore, I think it's a very good idea to take steps like this (hiring foreign drivers) to try and make ends meet in the next few years. However, I think we need to change our perspective between the short and long term. From a short-term perspective, utilizing foreign talent is a wonderful initiative. However, in Europe, there have been problems with foreigners not returning home even after 5 or 10 years, or struggling to adapt due to language, cultural, and religio...