In the taxi and bus industry, the recruitment of foreign workers under the Specified Skills "Automobile Transportation Industry" program is gaining momentum as a measure to address the driver shortage.

However, simply hiring a foreign driver doesn't mean they can start working immediately. To work as a taxi or bus driver, they need to obtain a Japanese Class 2 driver's license. In particular, the written exam, which tests knowledge of specialized traffic laws and passenger safety, is a major challenge for both foreign workers and the businesses that hire them.

To address these challenges, ZIPLUS has added a "Type 2 Driver's License Written Exam Preparation Course" for foreign taxi and bus drivers to its driver's license written exam preparation service, "Drivey."​

This article explains the process from converting foreign driver licenses to obtaining a Class 2 driver's license, the importance of preparing for the written exam, and the benefits of using Drivey for your business, for taxi and bus operators considering hiring foreign drivers.

The movement to hire foreign taxi and bus drivers under the Specified Skills program is gaining momentum.

The automobile transport industry was added to the list of eligible sectors under the Specified Skills Program by a cabinet decision in March 2024. The government projects that 22,100 people will be accepted from fiscal year 2024 to 2028, including trucks, taxis, and buses.

In the taxi and bus sector, foreign workers are required to have a Japanese Class 2 driver's license. When accepting workers from overseas, they must meet requirements such as the Specified Skills Evaluation Test and Japanese language test, enter Japan under the "Designated Activities" residence status, and during their stay, they will proceed with converting their foreign license, obtaining a Class 2 license, and undergoing new driver training.

The period for specific activities for taxi and bus drivers is a maximum of one year and cannot be renewed. If they do not obtain a Japanese driver's license within this period, they cannot transition to Specified Skilled Worker (Type 1), so managing the schedule for obtaining the license will determine the success or failure of the recruitment plan.

On the other hand, if the process from converting to a foreign driver's license to obtaining a Class 2 driver's license can be carried out smoothly, it may be possible to significantly shorten the maximum one-year period for specific activities and accelerate the transition to Specified Skilled Worker No. 1 and the start of driving duties. For the individual, the major benefit is being able to start their actual work sooner and stabilize their income. For companies, it also leads to alleviating labor shortages and realizing the effects of recruitment sooner, as well as reducing the burden of personnel costs and living support expenses before assignment, as personnel can be placed into commercial operations sooner.

Reference: [Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, "Outline of the System for the Motor Transport Industry Sector under the Specified Skills Program"]

The main steps involved in a foreign driver starting work.

When hiring individuals with valid foreign driver's licenses, the general process for them to begin work is as follows:

1. We will verify your foreign driver's license, overseas driving history, residency history, and required documents.
2. Meet the requirements for the Specified Skills Assessment Test, Japanese Language Test, etc.
3. Entering Japan with a "Designated Activities" residence status
4. Obtain a Japanese Class 1 driver's license by converting a foreign license.
5. Aiming to obtain a Class 2 driver's license at a designated driving school, etc.
6. Pass the written exam for a Class 2 driver's license.
7. Completed new driver training.
8. After changing their residence status to Specified Skilled Worker (Type 1), they begin their duties as a crew member.

Converting to a foreign driver's license and obtaining a Class 2 driver's license are separate procedures. If the foreign driver's license conversion does not proceed as planned, it will cause delays in Class 2 driver's license training, examinations, and subsequent training. Therefore, it is important to design the process from the recruitment stage to the necessary documents, foreign driver's license conversion, training, written examinations, and training as a single process.

ZIPLUS offers a [Foreign License Conversion Peace of Mind Package] for corporations, providing support such as issuing translations and preparing for knowledge and skills tests. With the addition of Drivey 's Class 2 driver's license preparation, we can now continuously support the learning of foreign drivers, from knowledge checks for foreign license conversion to the Class 2 driver's license written test.

Why the Class 2 driver's license written exam is a major hurdle for foreign workers

The Class 2 driver's license written exam consists of 95 questions in total: 90 written questions and 5 illustration-based questions. A score of 90 points or higher out of 100 is required to pass. According to the National Police Agency's "Driver's License Statistics, 2025 Edition," the overall pass rate for the Class 2 driver's license exam in 2025 was 61.1%. The pass rate for regular Class 2 licenses was 60.8%, and for large Class 2 licenses it was 67.1%, indicating that it is not an easy exam even when considering all test-takers, including Japanese nationals.

Foreign applicants face the following additional difficulties:

• The driving school's lessons and teaching materials are primarily in Japanese.
• Understanding the specialized terminology related to laws and regulations and signs is difficult.
• You need to carefully read the specific wording of the question, such as "must" and "must not."
• As a professional driver, you are required to make sound judgments to ensure the safe transport of passengers.
• Traffic rules and driving customs differ between your country of origin and Japan.

Even if the exam can be taken in a foreign language, if the learning materials and training content are only in Japanese, there is a possibility that you may not fully understand them before the actual exam.
It's essential to have a learning environment where students can not only memorize questions and answers, but also understand in their native language why a particular judgment is necessary.

The impact of failing the Class 2 driver's license test on taxi and bus operators

Failing the written exam for a Class 2 driver's license is not just a problem for the applicant. It has the following impacts on the accepting company:

• The start of operations was delayed, causing discrepancies in the personnel allocation plan.
• Retaking exams or receiving additional education is costly and time-consuming.
• The burden of personnel costs and living expenses before assignment will be prolonged.
• The workload for recruiters and supervisors will increase.
• This puts pressure on the maximum one-year period of designated activities.

For taxi companies, delays in the start of shifts lead to lost business opportunities. For bus companies, in addition to the impact on operational plans, it is necessary to ensure that drivers, who are responsible for public transportation, have a solid understanding of safety.
Therefore, instead of leaving it up to the individual to study after being hired, it is important to have a system in place that allows companies to monitor understanding and progress by having candidates begin learning early after the hiring decision is made.

What is Drivey "Type 2 Driver's License Written Exam Preparation Course"?

[Drivey] is a driver's license written test preparation service provided by ZIPLUS Co., Ltd. In addition to the existing foreign license conversion knowledge check, provisional license, final license, and moped test preparation, a new course has been added to prepare foreign taxi and bus drivers for the Class 2 driver's license written test.

Drivey is not just a workbook where you repeatedly solve problems. It combines videos, interactive text, practice problems, and review tests to help you acquire the knowledge necessary for a Class 2 driver's license step by step.

Supports Japanese and five foreign languages.

Drivey 's Class 2 driver's license written exam preparation course is available in Japanese and the following five languages:

• English
• Chinese
• Vietnamese
• Indonesian
• Burmese

By teaching in a language that foreign personnel find easy to understand, they can focus on acquiring knowledge about traffic rules and passenger safety, rather than spending time solely on deciphering Japanese. Companies employing personnel of multiple nationalities can also conduct training using standardized materials.

Understand the "reasons" through videos and interactive text.

First, you'll grasp the overall picture of the learning topic through a video, and then you'll organize the key points with an interactive text. After that, you'll work on practice problems and review tests, making it easier to understand the reasoning behind correct judgments rather than simply memorizing.

You can systematically learn about topics specific to the Class 2 driver's license, such as ensuring passenger safety, predicting hazards, and making decisions when driving with passengers.

Visualize learning progress and areas of weakness.

Because students can check their learning history, test results, and correct answer rate, they can identify their weak areas and review efficiently. For corporate clients, companies can also check each student's learning progress and test results, using this information to determine when to start training or take exams.

Compatible with Web, iOS, and Android.

Drivey can be used on PCs, iPhones, and Android devices. You can study during your commute, while waiting for lessons, or during breaks, allowing you to continuously prepare for the exam even during limited periods of activity.

For more details, please also see [Drivey "Foreign Taxi and Bus Drivers: The Biggest Obstacle is the Class 2 Driver's License Written Exam"].

How taxi and bus operators can utilize Drivey

Drivey can be used in the following ways, from the time you are hired until you take the Class 2 driver's license test:

1. Start learning early after being hired.

While preparing the paperwork and making reservations for converting your foreign driver's license, you can also learn the basics of Japanese traffic rules at Drivey. The key is to establish a study habit early on, rather than starting from scratch to prepare for the Class 2 driver's license exam after the foreign license conversion.

2. Check understanding before and after the lesson.

Before each lesson, you'll prepare using videos and textbooks, and after the lesson, you'll review with practice problems and quizzes. Since you can also check anything you didn't understand in Japanese in your native language, the effectiveness of the lesson is enhanced.

3. The company checks the progress and the correct answer rate.

Using the corporate management features, you can track areas of study that students haven't yet covered, areas they struggle with, and the results of review tests. By prompting students who haven't reached the passing standard to receive supplementary lessons or restudy early on, you can prevent them from being unprepared right before the exam.

4. Utilize learning results in the next training plan.

By accumulating data on each participant's learning period, areas where they struggle, and test results, we can improve future recruitment and training plans. This allows us to transform foreign driver training from relying solely on the experience of the person in charge to a more reproducible system.

It is important to manage the process from converting to a foreign driver's license to obtaining a Class 2 driver's license as a single integrated process.

When hiring foreign taxi and bus drivers, considering the residence status, foreign license conversion, Class 2 driver's license, written exam, and new driver training separately can easily lead to procedural omissions and schedule delays.

Converting to a foreign driver's license is a particularly complex process involving numerous verification steps, including obtaining a translation of the license, documentation demonstrating overseas residency, knowledge checks, and skills assessments. Since the required documents and acquisition routes may vary for each candidate, it is recommended to consult with a specialist before hiring.

ZIPLUS provides comprehensive support for foreign drivers in obtaining their licenses, from translating foreign driver's licenses and preparing for knowledge and skills tests for foreign license conversion, to preparing for the written exam for a Class 2 driver's license using Drivey.

Summary | Recruiting foreign drivers requires a design that includes preparation for obtaining a Class 2 driver's license.

To successfully recruit foreign taxi and bus drivers under the Specified Skills program, it is necessary not only to secure personnel but also to have a training system in place that ensures they complete the conversion of their foreign driver's license and acquisition of a Class 2 driver's license within the deadline, and can begin driving safely.

Drivey 's Class 2 Driver's License Written Exam Preparation Course supports Japanese and five foreign languages, and supports the understanding and continued learning of foreign personnel through videos, interactive texts, practice questions, and review tests. With the corporate management function, businesses can also monitor progress and correct answer rates, allowing for systematic exam preparation.

Taxi and bus operators considering hiring foreign drivers, converting foreign driver licenses, or providing support for obtaining Class 2 driver's licenses are welcome to contact ZIPLUS.

Frequently Asked Questions from Taxi and Bus Operators

Can periods of holding a license abroad be included in the "at least 3 years of license experience" requirement for taking the Class 2 driver's license exam?

Yes. Of the period during which you held a foreign license equivalent to a Japanese license, the period during which you resided in that country after obtaining the license may be counted towards the license history required to take the Class 2 driver's license exam.

The "three years or more" referred to here is the period during which the applicant held a relevant license, such as a regular driver's license, and not actual work experience as a professional driver. During verification, you may be asked to provide current and past foreign driver's licenses, a driver's license history certificate issued by the licensing authority, a passport or entry/exit records, and Japanese translations. Required documents and verification methods vary depending on the country where the license was obtained and the prefecture where the application is submitted, so it is important to confirm these for each candidate during the hiring process.

Can I watch a demo of Drivey "Type 2 Driver's License Written Exam Preparation Course"?

Yes. We can offer a demo to our corporate clients. You can see actual videos, interactive texts, practice problems, quizzes, and a progress management screen designed for corporate use. Businesses interested in a demo should contact Drivey 's corporate support desk.

How long does it take to study enough to pass the written exam for a Class 2 driver's license?

The duration varies depending on the student's Japanese language proficiency, understanding of Japanese traffic rules, and study time, but 1 to 3 months is a general guideline.

In the Class 2 driver's license written exam, approximately 80% of the questions are the same as those for the regular driver's license written exam, while the remaining 20% are specific to passenger transport and Class 2 licenses. Therefore, not only knowledge of passenger transport but also a correct understanding of the scope of the Class 1 license is a prerequisite for passing. When introducing this system to a corporation, it is recommended to start studying early after the decision to hire the license and determine the exam timing based on the correct answer rate on the practice tests.

If obtaining a Class 2 driver's license proceeds smoothly, it may be possible to accelerate the transition to Specified Skilled Worker No. 1 and significantly shorten the specified activity period. For the individual, this leads to an earlier start of work and stable income, and for the company, it leads to earlier deployment of personnel, alleviation of labor shortages, and reduction of the burden of personnel costs and living support expenses before deployment, thus offering significant benefits to both parties.

Can foreign workers use Drivey from overseas before arriving in Japan?

Yes. You can use it from overseas as long as you have an internet connection. By starting to study Japanese traffic rules and prepare for the written exam for the Class 2 driver's license before arriving in Japan, you can make effective use of the limited period of designated activities after arrival. For details on corporate account issuance, start dates, and eligible countries/regions, please contact Drivey 's corporate support desk.

Can the company monitor the learning progress of its employees?

Yes. Our corporate service allows you to check the learning progress and test results of each student. This helps you identify students who are under-learned or have weak areas early on, and you can use this information to select students who need remedial instruction and determine the appropriate timing for exams.

Are the languages supported by Drivey the same as the languages used for the actual written exam for a Class 2 driver's license?

Drivey supports six languages: Japanese, English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Burmese. However, the foreign languages available for testing at driver's license centers and the testing methods may vary by prefecture. When planning recruitment and training, please check with the Public Safety Commission or driver's license center that has jurisdiction over the testing area for the latest information.