Japan job market: Mechanics report high gap between job ads and reality

A survey by Mobilia Research Institute (Protorios) reveals that 87.3% of automotive mechanics who changed jobs within the last three years felt a discrepancy between job advertisements and the actual working reality. The primary motivations for changing jobs included seeking skill development (34.7%), concerns regarding company management or policy (33.4%), and heavy workloads due to chronic labor shortages (31.2%). Most respondents completed their job search within one to four months, frequently utilizing recruitment agents or specialized industry job sites.

Broadly, employment trends in Japan show an increasing number of people changing jobs. According to the 2025 Employment Trend Survey released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, there were approximately 5.06 million job changers, with a job change rate of 9.9%, a 0.2 percentage point increase from the previous year.