Driver Shortage and Declining Working-Age Population
First written in FY2016. 15 of 26 entries say "Restated". Latest entry: FY2026.
The whole theme swung hardest in 2017: 8 of 15 companies on the "Worse" side.
9 other companies' latest entry also says "Worsened".
- FY2026WorsenedAnnual report
「In the logistics industry, securing personnel such as drivers, mechanics, and yard workers has become even more difficult against the backdrop of a declining working-age population. In addition to working-hour regulations under laws related to work-style reforms and the Improvement Standards Notice, costs related to wages, fuel, transportation equipment, and maintenance have also risen.」
Securing personnel has been described as “even more difficult,” while costs for wages, transportation equipment, maintenance, and other items have also risen. The turnover rate within 3 years rose from 10.0% in the previous fiscal year to 17.2%. - FY2026-H1Higher wages and labor costs to secure driversAnnual report
「Higher labor costs resulting from the increase in wage levels implemented from July 2025 to secure drivers」
The Company raised wage levels from July 2025 to secure drivers, and the resulting increase in labor costs has become a cost factor in its domestic automotive-related business. - FY2025-H1MitigatedAnnual report
「Transportation capacity was secured by promoting the division of drivers’ duties, strengthening driver recruitment, and increasing payments per unit to partner companies.」
The Company states that it secured transportation capacity during the interim period as a result of measures to address the driver shortage and labor constraints. However, the burden of higher recruiting costs and labor costs per driver has continued. - FY2024-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「However, in addition to a chronic shortage of drivers, the Consumer Price Index has risen, while minimum wages and labor costs per driver continue to increase. The Company recognizes as important management challenges the need to maintain and improve compensation while reducing total working hours per driver, and to hire new drivers and introduce transportation equipment to offset the decline in transportation capacity resulting from reduced total working hours.」
The chronic driver shortage, rising prices, minimum wages, and labor costs per driver, and the need to address the decline in transportation capacity resulting from reduced working hours continue to be identified as important issues. - FY2024-Q1RestatedAnnual report
「However, in addition to a chronic shortage of drivers, the Consumer Price Index has risen, while minimum wages and labor costs per driver continue to increase. The Company recognizes as important management challenges the need to maintain and improve compensation while reducing total working hours per driver, and to hire new drivers and introduce transportation equipment to offset the decline in transportation capacity resulting from reduced total working hours.」
The driver shortage is described as “chronic,” and addressing rising prices, minimum wages, and labor costs per driver, as well as the decline in transportation capacity resulting from reduced working hours, remains an important issue. - FY2023WorsenedAnnual report
「However, in addition to a chronic shortage of drivers, the Consumer Price Index has risen, while minimum wages and labor costs per driver continue to increase. The Company recognizes as important management challenges the need to maintain and improve compensation while reducing total working hours per driver, and to hire new drivers and introduce transportation equipment to offset the decline in transportation capacity resulting from reduced total working hours.」
The driver shortage is described as “chronic,” while addressing rising minimum wages and labor costs per driver and the decline in transportation capacity has been identified as an important management challenge. - FY2021RestatedAnnual report
「The vehicle transportation business faces management challenges including promoting work-style reforms to create a rewarding workplace and reduce total working hours, higher labor and recruiting costs to address a potential driver shortage, and higher vehicle costs from adding transportation equipment and addressing aging equipment. Against this backdrop, the Company is working to achieve systematic vehicle allocation and optimize the operation of its nationwide logistics network, while thoroughly managing costs.」
The potential driver shortage and the resulting increases in labor and recruiting costs continue to be identified as management challenges. - FY2021-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「The vehicle transportation business faces management challenges including promoting work-style reforms to create a rewarding workplace and reduce total working hours, higher labor and recruiting costs to address a potential driver shortage, and higher vehicle costs from adding transportation equipment and addressing aging equipment. Against this backdrop, the Company is working to achieve systematic vehicle allocation and optimize the operation of its nationwide logistics network, while thoroughly managing costs.」
The Company continues to identify the potential driver shortage, higher labor and recruiting costs, and higher vehicle costs resulting from the addition of transportation equipment and measures to address aging equipment as management challenges. - FY2021-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「The vehicle transportation business faces management challenges including promoting work-style reforms to create a rewarding workplace and reduce total working hours, higher labor and recruiting costs to address a potential driver shortage, and higher vehicle costs from adding transportation equipment and addressing aging equipment. Against this backdrop, the Company is working to achieve systematic vehicle allocation and optimize the operation of its nationwide logistics network, while thoroughly managing costs.」
The Company continues to identify the potential driver shortage, higher labor and recruiting costs, and higher vehicle costs as management challenges, while working on systematic vehicle allocation, optimal operation of its nationwide logistics network, and cost management. - FY2021-Q1RestatedAnnual report
「The vehicle transportation business faces management challenges including promoting work-style reforms to create a rewarding workplace and reduce total working hours, higher labor and recruiting costs to address a potential driver shortage, and higher vehicle costs from adding transportation equipment and addressing aging equipment. Against this backdrop, the Company is working to achieve systematic vehicle allocation and optimize the operation of its nationwide logistics network, while thoroughly managing costs.」
While describing the driver shortage as “potential,” the Company continues to identify the resulting increases in labor and recruiting costs as management challenges. - FY2020-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「Meanwhile, in the logistics industry, operating conditions are difficult due to cost pressures including a driver shortage stemming from tight labor supply and demand, rising wages and recruiting costs, and compliance-related expenses.」
Difficult operating conditions caused by the driver shortage, higher wages and recruiting costs, and compliance-related expenses have continued. - FY2020-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「Meanwhile, in the logistics industry, operating conditions are difficult due to cost pressures including a driver shortage stemming from tight labor supply and demand, rising wages and recruiting costs, persistently high fuel costs, and compliance-related expenses.」
Difficult operating conditions caused by the driver shortage, higher wages and recruiting costs, persistently high fuel costs, and compliance-related expenses continue to be described. - FY2020-Q1RestatedAnnual report
「Meanwhile, in the logistics industry, operating conditions are difficult due to cost pressures including a driver shortage stemming from tight labor supply and demand, rising wages and recruiting costs, persistently high fuel costs, and compliance-related expenses.」
Difficult operating conditions caused by the driver shortage, higher wages and recruiting costs, persistently high fuel costs, and compliance-related expenses have continued. - FY2019-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「In the logistics industry, operating conditions are extremely difficult due to cost pressures including a driver shortage caused by tight labor supply and demand, higher wages and recruiting costs, surging fuel costs, and compliance-related expenses such as vehicle weight restrictions and restrictions on handling cargo on public roads.」
The driver shortage caused by tight labor supply and demand, along with higher wages and recruiting costs, continues to be a factor contributing to extremely difficult operating conditions. - FY2019-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「In the logistics industry, operating conditions are extremely difficult due to cost pressures including a driver shortage caused by tight labor supply and demand, higher wages and recruiting costs, surging fuel costs, and compliance-related expenses such as vehicle weight restrictions and restrictions on handling cargo on public roads.」
The driver shortage caused by tight labor supply and demand continues to be described as part of difficult operating conditions accompanied by higher wages and recruiting costs. - FY2019-Q1MaterialisedAnnual report
「In the logistics industry, operating conditions are extremely difficult due to cost pressures including a driver shortage caused by tight labor supply and demand, higher wages and recruiting costs, surging fuel costs, and compliance-related expenses such as vehicle weight restrictions and restrictions on handling cargo on public roads.」
The driver shortage has emerged as an actual cost factor through higher wages and recruiting costs, and its impact on operating conditions has continued. - FY2018MaterialisedAnnual report
「In the logistics industry, operating conditions are difficult due to cost pressures including a driver shortage and rising wages caused by tight labor supply and demand, higher fuel costs, and compliance-related expenses.」
The driver shortage has appeared in actual operating conditions as a cost factor, including higher wages. - FY2018-Q3MaterialisedAnnual report
「Meanwhile, amid stronger compliance with vehicle weight restrictions, continued efforts to implement work-style reforms, and higher labor costs per driver due to the driver shortage, the Company partially suspended orders, mainly for used-vehicle transportation, in March, the busy season, because cargo volumes exceeded transportation capacity, resulting in lost business opportunities.」
The driver shortage has appeared in actual performance through higher labor costs per driver, the suspension of used-vehicle transportation orders due to insufficient transportation capacity, and lost business opportunities. - FY2018-Q2MaterialisedAnnual report
「Higher labor costs due to a shortage of drivers」
The driver shortage has emerged as an actual cost factor through higher labor costs. - FY2017WorsenedAnnual report
「The active job openings-to-applicants ratio rose, and tight labor supply and demand conditions continued. In the logistics industry, operating conditions remained difficult, as fuel prices rose moderately and the driver shortage became even more severe.」
Describes the driver shortage as having become “even more severe.” - FY2017-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「However, uncertainty has persisted due to changes in the international situation and exchange rates. The active job openings-to-applicants ratio has risen, and tight labor supply and demand conditions have continued.」
Indicates that tight labor supply and demand conditions are continuing. - FY2017-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「However, uncertainty has persisted due to changes in the international situation and exchange rates. The active job openings-to-applicants ratio has risen, and tight labor supply and demand conditions have continued.」
Indicates that tight labor supply and demand conditions are continuing. - FY2017-Q1RestatedAnnual report
「The labor supply-demand situation remains tight.」
States that tight labor supply and demand conditions are continuing. - FY2016First statedAnnual report
「We expect the challenging business environment to continue, including due to efforts to address labor shortages in Japan, particularly the shortage of drivers.」
The company identifies the declining working-age population due to the declining birthrate and aging population, along with driver shortages in the transportation industry, as external-environment challenges.