Japan Urges Schools to Avoid Trips in Peak Season Amid Labor Shortage
Japan's education ministry is advising schools to schedule trips during off-peak seasons due to a significant labor shortage in the transportation and accommodation sectors, which has been exacerbated by a surge in inbound tourism. This recommendation comes as schools typically plan their trips between May and June or from September to December, periods that coincide with high demand for travel services.
In a notice sent on December 12, 2024, to education boards and schools, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology emphasized the challenges schools face in securing charter buses and accommodations during peak travel times. The ministry's guidance aims to help schools avoid the need to alter their schedules unexpectedly due to the unavailability of necessary services.
The notice follows requests from the bus and travel industries for cooperation in scheduling school trips. "The recent acute labor shortage makes it difficult for schools to secure charter buses and accommodations," the ministry stated, urging schools to adopt more flexible timing for their trips.
According to a survey conducted by the Japan School Tours Bureau, a nonprofit organization, the most popular travel season for junior high schools in fiscal 2023 was May, while high schools favored October. Many schools base their trip timing on annual academic calendars and weather conditions, with popular destinations including Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Okinawa.
The labor shortage has been particularly pronounced in the bus driver sector, following government restrictions on working hours aimed at improving working conditions. As a result, some schools have begun opting for train travel instead of charter buses to accommodate their trip schedules.
By encouraging schools to plan trips during less busy times, the ministry hopes to alleviate some of the pressure on the transportation and accommodation industries while ensuring that students can still enjoy educational travel experiences.
