KUROFUNE, Provider of a Retention Support App for Foreign Workers, Holds Entrance Ceremony for Truck Driver Training Camp for Specified Skilled Workers at Akita Hokubu Driving School
KUROFUNE Co., Ltd., which develops the 'KUROFUNE PASSPORT' retention app for foreign workers, held an entrance ceremony on May 15, 2026, for a truck driver training camp in collaboration with Akita Hokubu Driving School. By utilizing vacant houses in Odate City and involving local seniors as supporters, the company aims to solve three major challenges: the logistics labor shortage, vacant properties, and senior employment.
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- 📰 Published: May 19, 2026 at 05:53
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KUROFUNE Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture; CEO: Ryo Kurakata; hereinafter KUROFUNE), which develops and operates the legal and retention support app 'KUROFUNE PASSPORT' (hereinafter 'KUROFUNE PASSPORT') for 'Specified Skilled Worker' foreigners, is collaborating with Akita Hokubu Driving School to conduct a truck driver training camp for Specified Skilled Workers in the automobile transport sector, a field added to the visa category in 2024.
An entrance ceremony was held at Akita Hokubu Driving School on Friday, May 15, 2026, as two Indonesian nationals scheduled to work at an automobile transport company in Shizuoka Prefecture began their truck driver training camp. KUROFUNE is supporting the two individuals in obtaining their Specified Skilled Worker residency status to work as truck drivers, while also utilizing 'KUROFUNE PASSPORT' to jointly create a workplace and living environment that fosters long-term retention.
This process represents the workflow up until they begin working at the transport company where they have received job offers.
[About the Truck Driver Training Camp for Specified Skilled Workers]
Against the backdrop of a severe labor shortage, the number of foreign workers in Japan has increased to 2.57 million (as of the end of October 2025, according to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's 'Notification Status of Foreigner Employment'). Among them, the number of foreign workers under the 'Specified Skilled Worker' visa, newly established in 2019, is rapidly increasing. The automobile transport industry was added to this category in 2024.
To work under the 'Specified Skilled Worker' visa, passing both a Japanese language proficiency test and a skills test is mandatory. To work as a truck driver in the automobile transport industry, a valid Japanese driver's license is required in addition to the above two requirements. To enable foreign workers who have not yet come to Japan to smoothly obtain a driver's license in Japan, KUROFUNE collaborated with Akita Hokubu Driving School to create a truck driver training course where participants stay in traditional Japanese houses (kominka) owned by KUROFUNE. Moving forward, the company intends to proactively promote this truck driver training camp in Odate City for individuals who have received job offers from transport companies nationwide, aiming to solve the truck driver shortage problem.
[Initiatives in Odate City]
KUROFUNE was selected for Akita Prefecture's 'Out-of-Prefecture Startup Demonstration Project' and Odate City's 'Future Technology Demonstration Support Project,' leading to the establishment of a base in Odate City, Akita Prefecture, in 2025. Odate City, which is experiencing significant population decline, has many vacant houses. For this initiative, KUROFUNE acquired a vacant house to provide as an accommodation facility for the truck driver training camp.
Furthermore, focusing on Odate City, Akita Prefecture, KUROFUNE has established a system where 'active seniors' interested in supporting foreign workers are registered as KUROFUNE supporters on 'KUROFUNE PASSPORT.' This allows them to rush to the scene and assist foreign workers when they face difficulties. The company hopes to expand this business so that Odate City can become a 'holy land' for driver's license camps for Specified Skilled Worker truck drivers.
Through this initiative, the company aims to solve the following three problems:
1. The truck driver shortage problem (Nationwide)
2. The vacant house problem (Odate City, Akita Prefecture)
3. New employment for active seniors (Odate City, Akita Prefecture)
[Scenes from the Entrance Ceremony]
Date and Time: Friday, May 15, 2026, 13:30 - 14:30
Location: Akita Hokubu Driving School (Address: 1-45 Negeshinmachi, Odate City, Akita Prefecture)
The participating Indonesians commented, 'We want to study hard and work as truck drivers.'
[About KUROFUNE Co., Ltd.]
Established in February 2018, KUROFUNE is a company that supports the employment and daily lives of foreign personnel. Its mission is 'Opening up the world to design a future for foreigners feel as easy to work and live as in their home country.'
KUROFUNE currently operates two apps. One is 'KUROFUNE,' an app that supports job hunting in Japan for foreign residents, and the other is 'KUROFUNE PASSPORT,' an app launched in April 2019 that provides legal and retention support for Specified Skilled Workers.
Nagoya Headquarters: 8F Fushimi FG Building, 1-10-29 Sakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 460-0008
Hamamatsu Branch: B1F Zaza City Hamamatsu Chuo-kan, 100-1 Kajimachi, Chuo-ku, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture 430-0929
Tokyo Hub: 1F Otemachi Building, 1-6-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004
Imabari Hub: 794-0028
Keywords:
An entrance ceremony was held at Akita Hokubu Driving School on Friday, May 15, 2026, as two Indonesian nationals scheduled to work at an automobile transport company in Shizuoka Prefecture began their truck driver training camp. KUROFUNE is supporting the two individuals in obtaining their Specified Skilled Worker residency status to work as truck drivers, while also utilizing 'KUROFUNE PASSPORT' to jointly create a workplace and living environment that fosters long-term retention.
This process represents the workflow up until they begin working at the transport company where they have received job offers.
[About the Truck Driver Training Camp for Specified Skilled Workers]
Against the backdrop of a severe labor shortage, the number of foreign workers in Japan has increased to 2.57 million (as of the end of October 2025, according to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's 'Notification Status of Foreigner Employment'). Among them, the number of foreign workers under the 'Specified Skilled Worker' visa, newly established in 2019, is rapidly increasing. The automobile transport industry was added to this category in 2024.
To work under the 'Specified Skilled Worker' visa, passing both a Japanese language proficiency test and a skills test is mandatory. To work as a truck driver in the automobile transport industry, a valid Japanese driver's license is required in addition to the above two requirements. To enable foreign workers who have not yet come to Japan to smoothly obtain a driver's license in Japan, KUROFUNE collaborated with Akita Hokubu Driving School to create a truck driver training course where participants stay in traditional Japanese houses (kominka) owned by KUROFUNE. Moving forward, the company intends to proactively promote this truck driver training camp in Odate City for individuals who have received job offers from transport companies nationwide, aiming to solve the truck driver shortage problem.
[Initiatives in Odate City]
KUROFUNE was selected for Akita Prefecture's 'Out-of-Prefecture Startup Demonstration Project' and Odate City's 'Future Technology Demonstration Support Project,' leading to the establishment of a base in Odate City, Akita Prefecture, in 2025. Odate City, which is experiencing significant population decline, has many vacant houses. For this initiative, KUROFUNE acquired a vacant house to provide as an accommodation facility for the truck driver training camp.
Furthermore, focusing on Odate City, Akita Prefecture, KUROFUNE has established a system where 'active seniors' interested in supporting foreign workers are registered as KUROFUNE supporters on 'KUROFUNE PASSPORT.' This allows them to rush to the scene and assist foreign workers when they face difficulties. The company hopes to expand this business so that Odate City can become a 'holy land' for driver's license camps for Specified Skilled Worker truck drivers.
Through this initiative, the company aims to solve the following three problems:
1. The truck driver shortage problem (Nationwide)
2. The vacant house problem (Odate City, Akita Prefecture)
3. New employment for active seniors (Odate City, Akita Prefecture)
[Scenes from the Entrance Ceremony]
Date and Time: Friday, May 15, 2026, 13:30 - 14:30
Location: Akita Hokubu Driving School (Address: 1-45 Negeshinmachi, Odate City, Akita Prefecture)
The participating Indonesians commented, 'We want to study hard and work as truck drivers.'
[About KUROFUNE Co., Ltd.]
Established in February 2018, KUROFUNE is a company that supports the employment and daily lives of foreign personnel. Its mission is 'Opening up the world to design a future for foreigners feel as easy to work and live as in their home country.'
KUROFUNE currently operates two apps. One is 'KUROFUNE,' an app that supports job hunting in Japan for foreign residents, and the other is 'KUROFUNE PASSPORT,' an app launched in April 2019 that provides legal and retention support for Specified Skilled Workers.
Nagoya Headquarters: 8F Fushimi FG Building, 1-10-29 Sakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 460-0008
Hamamatsu Branch: B1F Zaza City Hamamatsu Chuo-kan, 100-1 Kajimachi, Chuo-ku, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture 430-0929
Tokyo Hub: 1F Otemachi Building, 1-6-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004
Imabari Hub: 794-0028
Keywords:
FAQ
What is the truck driver training camp for Specified Skilled Workers?
A training camp co-organized by KUROFUNE and Akita Hokubu Driving School to help foreign workers smoothly obtain Japanese driver's licenses.
Why is the camp held in Odate City?
To utilize local vacant houses as accommodation and employ active seniors as supporters, thus contributing to regional revitalization.
What is KUROFUNE PASSPORT?
An app by KUROFUNE that provides legal and retention support for Specified Skilled foreign workers in Japan.