Official data showed that Sapporo operated 7,153 bus trips per day in 2024, down 24% compared to 2019, largely due to a severe driver shortage.
The city's three main bus operators – Hokkaido Chuo Bus, JR Hokkaido Bus and Jotetsu – employed around 1,500 drivers in 2024, approximately 300 fewer than in 2020. About 70% of drivers are currently in their 50s or 60s, raising concerns over a wave of retirement in the coming years.
Passengers wearing protective face masks enjoy viewing blooming cherry blossoms from an open-top sightseeing bus in Tokyo, Japan, March 22, 2021. Photo by Reuters
To maintain local bus operations, the Sapporo administration has turned to foreigner recruitment. Under the initial phase of the programme, 10 trainees will be trained in their home country before relocating to Sapporo to work as bus drivers.
Vietnam has been selected as the first recruitment market, with hiring scheduled to begin in May 2026. From July 2026 to October 2027, trainees will study in Vietnam to obtain driving licenses, learn Japanese and familiarize themselves with Japanese culture and customs. The training will then shift to Japan, where participants will undergo one year of practical driving training at driving schools starting in autumn 2027 to maintain certification requirements.
