The Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) is set to amend the Antimonopoly Act by spring, aiming to address long waiting times and unpaid labor imposed on transportation companies. Currently, transportation operators can only enforce contracts against senders of goods, leaving receiving parties unregulated in cases where they impose long waiting periods or demand free loading and unloading services. The proposed changes intend to ensure that both parties involved in the transport transaction provide fair compensation for all services rendered.

A survey conducted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism revealed that truck drivers are often bound to work for an average of 11 hours and 46 minutes for a single delivery, with over three hours spent on loading, unloading, or waiting. Despite the awareness of these troubling conditions, there has been little progress in improving them over the past four years. The new regulations aim not only to protect the rights of transportation workers but also to promote fairer business practices within the industry.

The JFTC and the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency categorize senders of goods who have contracts with transportation firms as responsible for paying for loading/unloading services, yet receiving parties remain unaccountable. This regulatory gap has allowed for significant exploitation of transport workers, who often find themselves working without remuneration for time spent on essential services, such as unloading cargo. By ensuring that both senders and receivers are accountable, the upcoming amendment could mark a significant change in labor rights within Japan’s transportation sector.