Why Japan isn't getting enough pilots

As Japan experiences a surge in tourism, the country faces a significant pilot shortage that threatens to impact its aviation industry. Currently, Japan has approximately 7,100 pilots, but the government anticipates needing an additional 1,000 pilots by 2030 to support its goal of attracting 60 million tourists annually.

To address this shortfall, the transport ministry is considering measures to expedite and reduce the cost of converting foreign pilots’ licenses to Japanese ones.

Despite these efforts, attracting pilots from abroad presents several challenges. Local unions oppose the influx of foreign pilots, and Japanese airlines typically offer lower salaries compared to their international counterparts.

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Furthermore, many Japanese airline captains are expected to retire by 2030, exacerbating the shortage.

“Major airlines will have to revise their internal operational processes to accommodate non-Japanese speaking pilots,” noted Nobuhito Abe, a partner at Kearney. He stressed that Japanese carriers have traditionally maintained very domestic operational procedures.

The salary disparity is another significant issue. Captains at Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) earn about ¥25 million ($172,900) annually. In contrast, pilots with similar experience at Delta Air Lines or American Airlines can earn between $453,000 and $480,000.

An influx of foreign pilots might also create tensions among local staff, who may feel that their career prospects could be negatively affected. In Japan, many pilots view their roles as lifelong careers.

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Traditionally, pilots are either recruited directly by ANA or JAL or graduate from the government-funded Civil Aviation College, which admits around 100 students annually.

Currently, foreign pilots are rare in Japan’s aviation sector. JAL, which employs about 2,000 pilots, has only a few non-Japanese pilots, while ANA, with approximately 2,400 pilots, employs very few foreign staff. In contrast, airlines like Cathay Pacific and Emirates have diverse pilot teams from numerous nationalities.

JAL has stated it is temporarily hiring contract-based foreign pilots to address the upcoming shortage but plans to continue focusing on hiring and training new pilots as permanent employees. ANA has declined to comment on its hiring practices.

To tackle the pilot shortage, the expert panel set up by the transport ministry is also exploring ways to extend the working age of pilots beyond 65 and to attract more female pilots.

Kentaro Fujibayashi of the Civil Aviation Bureau said the government is committed to increasing the number of pilots in Japan. “It’s a goal that we strive for and we’re going to do our best to achieve,” he said.

If Japan cannot ensure a steady supply of pilots, it risks missing out on the economic benefits of increased tourism. Kotaro Toriumi, an independent airline and travel analyst, warned that failing to meet the pilot demand could jeopardize the country’s ambitious tourist targets.