As tourists flock to Japan in record numbers, the country’s airlines are facing a severe shortage of pilots. And finding them won’t be easy.
Japan currently has about 7,100 pilots and the government projects another 1,000 will be needed by 2030 to help meet its target of attracting some 60 million tourists that same year. In an acknowledgment that may mean looking outside for talent, measures being considered by a panel set up by the transport ministry earlier this year include converting foreign pilots’ licenses to Japanese ones at a faster and cheaper rate.
But there are several reasons why hiring pilots from overseas is difficult. There’s opposition from unions and carriers in Japan typically pay less than airlines elsewhere. Compounding the shortage, many airline captains, currently in their 50s, are set to retire by around 2030, according to the ministry.
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