Three Thai Truck Drivers Arrive in Japan Under Saga Prefecture's Recruitment Program; All Pass Difficult 'Knowledge Test' for License Conversion on First Attempt

Three Thai Nationals Arrive Under the 'Saga-Style Foreign Driver Challenge Program' Factory Lab Co., Ltd. (Satake Group), which was commissioned last year by Saga Prefecture to implement the 'Saga-Style Foreign Driver Challenge Program' to address labor shortages in the logistics industry, has successfully brought three Thai men to Japan. These individuals, who were selected during interviews in Thailand last August, arrived in February 2026 and have joined Toward Co., Ltd., a transport company based in Kanzaki City, Saga Prefecture. This program has garnered significant attention as the first model in Japan where a local government supports the recruitment of foreign drivers for companies within the prefecture. The entrance ceremony held on February 20th was attended by numerous members of the press from both within and outside the prefecture. All Three Candidates Pass the 'Foreign License Conversion' Knowledge Test on Their First Attempt! For this program, all three individuals utilized the 'Foreign License Conversion System,' which involves taking tests at a driver's license center to convert their Thai driver's licenses to Japanese ones. Since October 2025, the procedures for this system have become significantly stricter, and the content of the exams has become much more difficult. The pass rate for the knowledge test, which was previously around 90%, has dropped to 40%, and the pass rate for the driving test has fallen from 30% to 10%, making it a much higher hurdle to obtain a license through this system. However, all three individuals who arrived this time passed the knowledge test on their first attempt. For the driving test, they practiced at Saga Johoku Driving School (Saga City, Saga Prefecture), which partners with Factory Lab, and successfully passed within approximately three weeks. The Key to Safe Driving: Candidate Selection and an Educational System in Cooperation with Driving Schools Candidates with Strong Japanese Language Skills, Primarily Former Technical Intern Trainees