Newsfrom Japan
Politics
Tokyo, Sept. 28 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday said he will convene a ministerial meeting next week to put together an emergency package of measures to address possible shortages of truck drivers.
He announced the plan to reporters after visiting a logistics firm in Tokyo’s Ota Ward as the introduction of an overtime cap on truck drivers in April next year is expected to cause a serious shortage of such workers.
Kishida said the package will include providing incentives for efforts to automate cargo handling work and halve the number of redeliveries, as well as promoting the use of self-driving technology.
He also said the government aims to enact legislation early next year to ensure fair delivery fees in order to secure funds for wage increases for truck drivers.
He vowed to swiftly implement a separate package of measures compiled back in June to address the driver shortages. The package includes a review of inefficient trucking industry practices that make drivers’ work hours longer.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
Jiji Press
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