[First in Nepal/South Asia] Automotive Maintenance Specified Skilled Worker Evaluation Exam to be held in Kathmandu in July 2026

Blue Rocket Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Shoya Kunugi) will conduct the 'Specified Skilled Worker Evaluation Exam for Automotive Maintenance,' organized by the Japan Automobile Service Promotion Association (JASPA), in Kathmandu, Nepal, in July 2026. This is the first time such an exam will be held in Nepal and the entire South Asian region. This initiative aims to open a new talent supply pipeline from Nepal, a country with a large young population, to the Japanese automotive maintenance industry, which is suffering from a severe labor shortage. The Japanese automotive maintenance industry faces structural labor shortages, with a job opening ratio of 5.16 and an average mechanic age of 46.7. Nepal, with a median age of approximately 25 and a left-hand traffic system similar to Japan's, is expected to provide immediate, effective personnel. Blue Rocket opened a branch in Kathmandu in February 2025 and has established a comprehensive system for the exam, including securing venues and arranging interpreters.