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Truck License Calculator

大型免許シミュレーター

Calculate upgrade cost, salary increase & ROI

📊 License Salary Comparison

普通免許(Regular)
3.5t / Kei trucks, small vans
¥180,000-¥220,000
/month
準中型免許(Semi-Medium)
7.5t / 2-3 ton trucks
¥200,000-¥280,000
/month
中型免許(Medium)
11t / 4-ton trucks
¥250,000-¥400,000
/month
大型免許(Large (Ogata))Best Pay
11t+ / 10-ton trucks, trailers
¥350,000-¥500,000
/month

🧮 Calculate Your Upgrade

Your Upgrade Analysis

13-14 days
Training Time
¥240,000
Net Cost (after subsidy)
💰 Subsidy saves you: ¥100,000
Monthly salary increase:+¥225,000
Annual salary increase:+¥2,700,000
Payback time:2 months

📈 5-Year Earnings Projection

Stay at 普通免許:¥12,000,000
Upgrade to 大型免許:¥25,260,000
Extra earnings:+¥13,260,000

💡 Yamada Hack

  • • Large license (大型) = Best ROI, pays back in ~2 months
  • • Many companies pay for your license upgrade!
  • • Ask: 「免許取得支援制度はありますか？」
  • • Long-haul + dormitory = save ¥300,000+/month
  • • Add 危険物 (hazmat) license = +¥20,000-50,000/month

Frequently Asked Questions

Japan's truck license categories are determined by vehicle weight: a standard (futsuu) license covers vehicles up to 3.5 metric tons gross vehicle weight, a medium (chuugata) license covers 3.5 to 7.5 tons, a semi-medium (jun-chuugata) covers 3.5 to 7.5 tons for those who obtained their base license after 2017, and a large (oogata) license covers vehicles over 7.5 metric tons gross weight. Special-purpose vehicles such as concrete mixers, cranes, and vehicles over 25 tons require additional tokushu (special) vehicle licenses.
Obtaining a chuugata (medium truck) license through an accredited driving school in Japan costs approximately ¥150,000 to ¥250,000 including all instruction hours, testing fees, and the license issuance fee. The course typically takes 1 to 2 weeks with 15 hours of on-road driving plus classroom instruction. The investment generally pays for itself within 3 to 6 months through the salary premium of ¥30,000 to ¥50,000 per month that medium truck license holders earn over standard license drivers.
Japan's truck license age requirements are: semi-medium (jun-chuugata) license requires age 18 and holding a regular license; medium (chuugata) license requires age 20 and holding a regular license for 2 or more years; large (oogata) truck license requires age 21 and holding a regular license for 3 or more years. Violating the age or prerequisite holding period requirements disqualifies you from applying regardless of your truck driving ability or experience.
Training duration for truck licenses in Japan at a registered driving school is approximately 8 school days for a medium (chuugata) license (comprising about 15 hours of road instruction plus classroom theory), and approximately 12 to 15 days for a large (oogata) license (about 30 hours of driving). Intensive residential camp (gasshuku) courses compress the schedule by eliminating travel time, allowing completion of medium license training in as little as 6 consecutive days at a reduced total cost.
Yes — Japan faces a severe truck driver shortage that is projected to worsen through the late 2020s, creating strong demand and relatively high wages for licensed truck drivers regardless of nationality. Medium truck license holders typically earn ¥300,000 to ¥400,000 per month, while large truck license holders command ¥400,000 to ¥600,000 monthly. Given training costs of ¥150,000 to ¥250,000 for a medium license, the return on investment period for foreigners pursuing a truck license career in Japan is typically 3 to 6 months.

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