Logistics Industry Faces Record Labor-Shortage Bankruptcies: A Transport Company with an Average Age of 29 Reveals Practical Methods for Gen Z Recruitment — New Book 'Gen Z Recruitment Revolution! Why Young People Are Flocking to a Mie Prefecture Transport Company with 30 Employees' (Chuo Keizai Sha) Released June 19 (Fri)

About the newly published book 'Gen Z Recruitment Revolution! — Why Young People Are Flocking to a Mie Prefecture Transport Company with 30 Employees'

Book details available here

Kawakita Express Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tsu City, Mie Prefecture; Representative Director: Tatsumi Kawakita), a transport company operating in Mie Prefecture, will release a new book titled 'Gen Z Recruitment Revolution! — Why Young People Are Flocking to a Mie Prefecture Transport Company with 30 Employees' (Chuo Keizai Sha) on June 19, 2026 (Fri). The book compiles the company's practical experiences in continuously hiring high school graduates and industry newcomers.

Based on 17 years of experience hiring high school graduates and industry newcomers, this book introduces the mindset required for regional small and medium-sized transport companies to sustainably recruit Gen Z employees, along with initiatives in social media-based recruitment outreach and workplace environment improvements.

In fact, our company employs young staff with diverse backgrounds, including employees who relocated from Akita Prefecture to Mie Prefecture to join us, and others who transitioned careers from sushi chefs to truck drivers.

Young employee (27 years old) who joined by relocating from Akita Prefecture to Mie Prefecture ※ From official YouTube channel 'Kawakita Channel'

Our YouTube channel

According to a survey on 'Bankruptcies in Road Freight Transport' (*), bankruptcies in the 'road freight transport' sector reached 108 cases (an 11.3% increase from the same period last year), surpassing 100 cases for the first time in two years. Of these 108 bankruptcies, 23 cases (a 21.0% increase) were attributed to 'labor shortages,' marking the highest number since data collection began 13 years ago.

Amid persistently high fuel costs, driver shortages, and rising labor expenses, regional small and medium-sized transport companies face the challenge of how to recruit and retain young employees.

* Source: Tokyo Shoko Research, 'Trends in Bankruptcies in Road Freight Transport'

Since last year, we have received 20 applications, with 15 new hires.

However, we have also experienced employee turnover. While continuing recruitment, we are simultaneously addressing the challenge of retention by improving our workplace environment.

We have implemented labor environment reforms tailored to Gen Z sensibilities, such as achieving a '100% male paternity leave uptake rate' and allowing weekday time off for 'favorite artists' concerts'.

President Kawakita dancing on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok

President Kawakita actively sharing content on the company-operated podcast 'Dragon Road ~ A Tough but Fun Journey', including introductions to employees, internal initiatives, and his thoughts as CEO

Our Instagram account

To help high school graduates envision their future careers, we have promoted reforms that go against industry norms, such as transitioning from a commission-based pay system to a fixed monthly salary.

As a result, our current average employee age is 29, and employees in their teens and twenties now make up over 70% of our workforce.

Instagram post regarding '100% male paternity leave uptake'

Monthly 10,000 yen 'Cosmetics Allowance' provided to female employees

Through this book, we aim to share insights on youth recruitment and retention for regional small and medium-sized transport companies, contributing to solving the labor shortage challenges faced by the logistics industry.

We understand you are extremely busy, but we would be honored if you could cover this story and help spread awareness through your reporting.

Book Overview

■ Title: 'Gen Z Recruitment Revolution! — Why Young People Are Flocking to a Mie Prefecture Transport Company with 30 Employees'

■ Author: Tatsumi Kawakita (President and CEO, Kawakita Express Co., Ltd.)

■ Publisher: Chuo Keizai Sha https://www.chuokeizai.co.jp/

■ Release Date: June 19, 2026 (Fri)

■ Price: 2,420 yen including tax (14.8×1.2×21 cm, 156 pages)

■ ISBN-10: 450257791X

■ ISBN-13: 978-4502577918

■ Amazon Product Page: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/450257791X

■ Table of Contents

New Book 'Gen Z Recruitment Revolution! — Why Young People Are Flocking to a Mie Prefecture Transport Company with 30 Employees'

Chapter 1: The Reality of Labor Shortages in 'Logistics 2024' and Why It's Not Improving

Chapter 2: Why a Transport Company Actively Recruits Young Talent

Chapter 3: What the CEO of a Regional Transport Company Did to Attract Young Employees

Chapter 4: Aligning the Work Environment with Gen Z

Chapter 5: Employees, Company, Customers, and Transport Companies — The CEO's Resolve

[Key Points of the Book]

· How to create job postings that appeal to young people

· How to rank Hello Work listings higher on online job boards

· Practical methods for using TikTok in recruitment outreach, even for beginners

· Why a 60-year-old CEO who said 'I can't dance' decided to challenge TikTok

· Why we reevaluated 'long-haul transport'

· The background behind a regional transport company introducing '360-degree evaluations'

· Our philosophy on recruitment and retention: 'Not trying to retain everyone'

■ Longest tenure among high school graduates: 17 years

Employee who joined Kawakita Express as the first high school graduate hire in 2009

The longest tenure among high school graduates who joined our company is 17 years.

Hired in 2009 as the first high school graduate, this employee now serves as a field leader in the 'overseas relocation' business.

Employee testimonial:

'I find my work at Kawakita Express enjoyable and fulfilling, and I feel a sense of pride, which is why I've been able to continue working here until today.'

When recruiting high school graduates and industry newcomers, our company prioritized the following three conditions:

No pay difference between university and high school graduates

Implementing a system that enables career development through long-term employment (recruitment criteria: under 34 years old, no experience required)

Opportunities to earn more than older, more senior employees upon skill advancement

■ Among our young drivers, some have transitioned from being sushi chefs

21-year-old young employee who decided to transition from sushi chef to truck driver

While working as a sushi chef, a dream since childhood, the desire to try truck driving — a job he had been interested in since childhood — grew stronger, leading him to decide on a career change.

He came across a post on social media featuring Kawakita Express's bright red trucks, and was attracted by the fact that many young employees are active in the company and that the company actively hires inexperienced candidates, prompting him to apply.

Initially holding only a standard driver's license, he started with packaging work for overseas relocation services.

Later, with our company's license acquisition support, he obtained a Class 2 medium-sized vehicle license and now works as a 2-ton truck driver.

'I've always loved driving cars, so working as a truck driver is very enjoyable. There are many colleagues close in age, and the seniors are kind, making it a comfortable work environment,' he said.

His goal is to become a trailer driver (requiring a towing license and large vehicle license), and he expressed enthusiasm: 'First, I'll gain experience in my current role, and someday I want to drive Kawakita Express's bright red trailer.'

■ Moving forward, 'retention' of Gen Z employees is the next challenge

We regularly conduct internships targeting high school students to help them visualize logistics jobs and their future at our company

Since last year, we have received 20 applications and welcomed 15 new hires, but 'improving retention rates' remains an ongoing challenge.

Therefore, reflecting on past periods of sharp increases in employee turnover,