TOKYO. Japan is advancing plans to create an automated cargo transport corridor between Tokyo and Osaka, aiming to counter a growing shortage of truck drivers and reduce carbon emissions. Dubbed the “auto flow road,” this automated freight corridor, which has also been described as a “conveyor belt road,” is expected to fundamentally reshape Japan’s logistics landscape, particularly as demands for deliveries surge.
The project, still pending final budget allocations, represents a critical part of Japan’s approach to coping with labor shortages while maintaining efficiency in freight services. A government-produced concept video envisions large, automated, wheeled cargo containers moving in dedicated lanes within a three-lane highway system. The initiative is set to undergo trial tests in 2027 or early 2028, with full operational deployment anticipated by the mid-2030s.
“We need to be innovative with the way we approach roads,” explained Yuri Endo, a senior deputy director overseeing the project at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Endo emphasized that the automated system’s 24-hour operations would create dedicated logistics channels, which would both ease the burden on drivers and contribute to lower carbon emissions. “The key concept of the auto flow-road is to create dedicated spaces within the road network for logistics, utilizing a 24-hour automated and unmanned transportation system,” she added.
Japan’s plans are part of a larger, global movement toward automated cargo solutions. Similar projects are under consideration in other densely populated regions, including Switzerland, which envisions underground freight tunnels, and London, which is exploring a fully automated corridor powered by linear motors.
The Japanese system, which is primarily intended for large-scale business logistics, will initially rely on automated loading using forklifts and be integrated with airports, ports, and rail systems for maximum connectivity. The self-driving containers, measuring nearly six feet in height and over three feet wide, may eventually reach other routes across the nation if successful. Human drivers might still handle last-mile deliveries to individual addresses, though future advancements could further reduce this need.
The urgency behind Japan’s automation drive stems from what industry insiders are calling the “2024 problem.” New labor laws introduced this year restrict the overtime hours truck drivers can work, intended to curb overwork and improve safety on the roads. This constraint is forecasted to reduce Japan’s transport capacity by a projected 34% by 2030, according to government estimates.
In contrast to larger countries like the United States, Japan’s freight network is highly reliant on trucks, which handle over 91% of domestic transport capacity. With online shopping demand having jumped from 40% to over 60% of Japanese households during the pandemic, this reliance on trucking has only intensified.
While delivery truck fatalities have decreased to around 1,000 annually from nearly double that in 2010, the Japan Trucking Association, representing over 400 trucking businesses, remains committed to further reducing accidents. The association has also encouraged consumers to limit delivery orders or combine them when possible to ease pressure on drivers and the network.
The automation project reflects the urgent need to rethink logistics in Japan, where truckers, often on the road for long stretches, face challenging working conditions. “The 2024 problem isn’t just a transportation problem but a people’s problem,” noted Yuji Yano, a professor at Ryutsu Keizai University, emphasizing the widespread societal impact of Japan’s logistics challenges.
As Japan moves forward with this ambitious project, its success could serve as a model for other countries grappling with similar labor and environmental challenges in freight logistics.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
