October 26: Japan has opened applications for a new skills assessment in logistics warehousing, creating a practical next step for employers preparing to recruit through the Specified Skilled Worker system. The transport ministry’s announcement makes an important distinction: organisation-arranged paper examinations are starting first, while individual computer-based testing is still being prepared.
Key highlights
- The logistics warehousing field was added to the system in January 2026, MLIT said.
- ClassNK began accepting organisation-based examination applications on October 26.
- Individual CBT examinations are being prepared with a December 2026 target, according to ClassNK.
- Passing the occupational test is one requirement, not a job offer or automatic residence approval.
What has opened today
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism said corporate applicants can request paper examinations at their chosen venues. Dates must be coordinated with the examining organisation beforehand. The notice does not announce an unrestricted walk-in examination or a fixed test date for every applicant.
ClassNK, the designated examiner, separately confirmed that industry organisations and companies can arrange examinations for groups of candidates. It said details of the computer-based route, which individuals will be able to book, will be published later. December is a preparation target rather than a guaranteed appointment available today.
Why the new route matters
ClassNK cited the government’s operating policy, which projects a shortage of approximately 18,300 people in logistics warehousing by fiscal 2028 even after productivity improvements and domestic recruitment efforts. This is a workforce projection, not a count of vacancies or visa places available to applicants now.
The examiner says its role is to establish whether candidates possess the knowledge and skills relevant to the field. Employers and applicants should therefore use the warehouse-specific guidance, rather than assuming that a driving, manufacturing or shipbuilding examination covers warehouse work.
The two examination routes
| Route | Current position | Practical next step |
|---|---|---|
| Organisation-arranged paper test | Applications opened October 26 | A company or industry body coordinates venue and schedule with ClassNK |
| Individual computer-based test | Preparation target: December 2026 | Wait for the examiner’s published booking details |
| Residence application | Separate from examination booking | Check immigration and employment requirements for your circumstances |
A test pass is only part of the process
The Immigration Services Agency’s English support site explains that Specified Skilled Worker (i) generally requires a relevant skills test and a Japanese-language test. It also describes exemptions connected with satisfactory completion of Technical Intern Training (ii), with a further field-specific test needed when changing fields. Applicants should check which provision actually applies to them.
For overseas readers, today’s announcement should not be read as a promise that examinations are already available in their country, that every nationality has the same booking arrangements, or that a recruiter can guarantee a visa. Those questions require the current examiner and immigration instructions.
What applicants should check
Before paying a recruiter or training provider, ask for the official examination name, who is submitting the application, and whether the proposed sitting is paper-based or CBT. Keep the booking confirmation and compare its details with the examiner’s own guidance. A training-course receipt is not an examination booking.
Employers should also distinguish assessment arrangements from the employment contract, workplace support and immigration paperwork. Combining those stages into a single advertised “Japan job package” makes it harder for applicants to see what has actually been secured.
What to watch
The next useful announcement will be ClassNK’s individual CBT schedule and booking procedure. Until that appears, the concrete development is the opening of organisation-arranged paper-test applications—not a universal December test appointment.
File photo: DPL Koto Fukagawa warehouse in Tokyo, February 25, 2022. Credit: Comyu; CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped/resized for 1600×900. Not a photograph of the current event. Image source; Licence. Adaptation shared under the same licence.
Sources
- Japan MLIT: Launch of the logistics warehousing Specified Skilled Worker assessment
- ClassNK: Applications open for the warehouse skills assessment
- Immigration Services Agency: How to obtain Specified Skilled Worker status
The Business Desk covers markets, the economy, companies and personal finance. Stories are checked against at least two credible sources before publication.
