Japan expands youth training in forestry and rail to address labor shortages

In Okayama Prefecture's Misaki town, eight second‑year high‑school students from Katsuma High School participated in a hands‑on forestry machine‑operation workshop. The annual program, running for 33 years, lets students learn to handle equipment that cuts, processes and loads logs, aiming to raise awareness of modern forestry work and attract future workers.

In Toyama, the Toyama Chihō Railway held its first driver‑experience event, inviting 17 high‑school, technical‑college and university students to operate a train under the guidance of professional drivers. Participants learned throttle and brake controls and drove a short track segment, with the railway hoping to spark interest and mitigate a looming shortage of train operators. Both initiatives seek to showcase the professions to young people and encourage recruitment into sectors facing demographic labor gaps.