Japan’s logistics industry is now facing an unprecedented structural crisis. This is exemplified by the 2024 Logistics Problem, stemming from the Labor Reform Law implemented in April 2024, which set an annual limit of 960 hours on truck drivers’ overtime work. While this legal reform is essential to protect the health and safety of drivers who have been accustomed to long hours of excessive labor, it has simultaneously highlighted serious challenges that shake the very foundations of Japan’s economy and society.
The implementation of the law promoted by the government demands major transformation across all industries, but the restriction on working hours for truck drivers – the core workforce supporting Japan’s logistics – has the potential to impact society as a whole. While this legal reform upholds the noble goal of improving working conditions, it presents logistics companies with the harsh reality of having to fundamentally reconsider their existing business models.
Alarming projections from Japan’s Transport Ministry reveal the severity of this crisis. Without specific countermeasures, the transport capacity of commercial trucks is predicted to fall short by approximately 14.2% (equivalent to 400 million tons) in fiscal 2024, and by approximately 34.1% (equivalent to 900 million tons) in fiscal 2030. This means the impact will extend far beyond the logistics industry to affect our daily lives and the Japanese economy as a whole.
For example, the restriction on driver working hours due to legal reform will inevitably reduce transportation companies’ transport capacity, increase shippers’ product delivery costs, and likely lead to increased consumer burden through product price increases and shipping fee hikes. There are also suggestions that food and daily necessities may not be delivered as smoothly as before. If logistics stagnate, it could hinder corporate business continuity, making it impossible to procure raw materials and parts, potentially forcing production shutdowns.
Robotruck takes on this national challenge with cutting-edge autonomous driving technology. They are more than just developers of “autonomous trucks” but are attempting to reconstruct Japan’s entire logistics infrastructure.
Two founders with unique backgrounds have joined forces for Japan’s future: Yusuke Haga, who came from Mitsubishi Corporation and most recently led ‘flying car’ commercialization as COO at SkyDrive, and Nan Wu, who developed world-class autonomous driving technology in the US. Their presence brings new hope to Japan’s logistics industry. Their challenge, unconstrained by existing frameworks, holds the potential to become a fundamental solution to the deep-rooted problems facing Japan’s logistics.
Unlikely Partners United
Photo credit: Robotruck
Robotruck’s story begins with the encounter of two key figures who have been active on different stages – Japan, China, and the US. One is Haga, who has led businesses in both large Japanese corporations and startups. The other is engineer Wu, who developed world-class autonomous driving technology. The fusion of their strengths became the source of Robotruck’s birth and its unique competitive advantage.
After graduating from Keio University, Haga joined Mitsubishi Corporation in 2009, one of Japan’s largest sogo shosha (general trading companies). There he engaged in a wide range of businesses, cultivating business sense and a global perspective. Particularly in the automotive division, he was involved in Isuzu Motors’ Southeast Asian sales and marketing operations, including overseas assignments. Through this experience, he gained deep understanding of local truck business operations and experienced firsthand the structural challenges of logistics business. This knowledge would later become fundamental to the business he would tackle at Robotruck.
Subsequently, he consistently ventured into new fields, including new business development in the aerospace sector in Japan and the rest of the world, and startup investment business. A defining moment in his career came with his experience at SkyDrive, a startup developing “flying cars” that he joined in 2020. At the company, he served as the person responsible for business strategy formulation, industry-academia-government partnership building, and demonstration flights at the Osaka-Kansai Expo, growing SkyDrive into a key player in Japan’s mobility industry.
I was working on “flying cars,” truly creating the future of mobility. What I learned there was that to implement new technology in society, not only technology but also regulations, public-private partnerships, and consensus across society as a whole are essential. Meanwhile, Wu had developed world-class autonomous driving technology in the US and experienced commercialization. I was convinced that if his technical capabilities and my business and social implementation experience were combined, we could solve the serious logistics problems that Japan faces. (Haga)
The catalyst for founding the company came from Wu. After conducting autonomous driving technology research at Waseda University in Tokyo, he became active as a co-founder of the autonomous driving startup TuSimple in the US in 2016. This startup led the development of the world’s first Level 4 autonomous heavy-duty trucks and experienced the complete journey from startup to NASDAQ listing, accumulating cutting-edge knowledge and know-how in the commercialization of autonomous driving technology.
Wu subsequently saw an opportunity to implement autonomous driving technology on a commercial basis in Japan’s logistics industry, which faces serious driver shortages as aging and declining birthrates progress ahead of the rest of the world. Having understood both the difficulties and possibilities of autonomous driving technology commercialization through his US experience, he decided to take on a new challenge to solve Japan’s social issues. He was convinced that by applying the advanced technology development expertise cultivated in the US to Japan’s social issues, he could build autonomous driving solutions unlike anything else in the world.
Haga was drawn to Wu’s grand vision and assumed the position of representative director and CEO in 2025, approximately one year after the company’s founding. This established a system where Wu oversees cutting-edge technology development as representative director, while Haga leverages his extensive business experience and network to promote business development and social implementation. This symbolizes Robotruck’s team structure of role division and maximizing each other’s strengths. This two-person partnership system is the driving force accelerating Japan’s logistics revolution.
Strategic Focus on Highway Freight Corridors
The aging of drivers and young people’s departure from the trucking industry had been evident for some time. However, this legal reform has brought us face-to-face with the realistic problem of being unable to transport goods. This issue affects shippers, transportation companies, and ultimately consumers. This is not merely an industry problem, but a national emergency threatening Japan’s entire supply chain.
At this rate, Japan’s logistics infrastructure could collapse. We believe that establishing new transportation methods that don’t depend on labor is essential to avoid this crisis. Autonomous driving is the most effective and realistic solution to this problem. (Haga)
Robotruck’s mission is to supplement driver shortages by introducing autonomous trucks and maintain and develop Japan’s logistics in response to this urgent challenge. However, what they aim for is not a short-term solution. Their goal is to realize autonomous driving in long-distance transport early, improve driver working environments, build sustainable logistics systems, and reconstruct the infrastructure supporting Japan’s future. Their challenge goes beyond simply automating trucks to updating the fundamental systems underlying logistics as the foundation of society.
Robotruck’s goal is not simply to develop autonomous vehicles. They are pursuing realistic social implementation specialized in “trunk-line transport,” which Japan’s logistics needs most. Trunk-line transport refers to long-distance transport centered on highways connecting major metropolitan areas like Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka. This section accounts for the majority of logistics operations and has been a hotbed of drivers’ long working hours. By making the automation of this section their top priority, Robotruck aims to dramatically improve logistics efficiency.
Our goal is to automate sections such as the Tomei and Meishin expressways where trucks constantly travel back and forth. By unmanning this portion that long-distance drivers handle, we can resolve driver shortages while simultaneously contributing to improved profitability for transportation companies.
Specifically, we aim to automate the harsh and long-duration highway driving, with fully unmanned autonomous trucks handling all long-distance transport from logistics center to logistics center. This approach—unmanned long-distance transport combined with traditional manned last-mile delivery—can be a solution to the logistics crisis. (Haga)
Another key aspect of their technology development is their “ground-up approach.” Their current team of over 20 members consists of engineers from around the world, with Japan as the base, and this multinational talent pool ensures optimal technical expertise. Rather than licensing existing technology from other companies, they develop almost all of the autonomous driving software stack from scratch in-house. This strategy avoids intellectual property risks while enabling flexible development tailored to Japan’s unique operating environment.
The challenges Japan faces are completely different from autonomous driving on straight, low-traffic roads like those in Arizona. Japan’s expressways have sharp curves and frequent merging and diverging, with heavy traffic. Furthermore, we must respond to weather conditions like heavy rain and snow. To address these special environments, simply adapting existing technology is insufficient. That’s why we believe we need to build an optimal system from scratch. This approach is our greatest strength and the source of our competitive advantage in the Japanese market. (Haga)
Through ground-up approach, Robotruck can flexibly design and develop autonomous driving systems suited to Japanese market needs and maximize speed to market introduction. Furthermore, having their own technology foundation will be a major advantage when expanding overseas in the future. They are developing systems that can recognize surrounding environments with high accuracy even in bad weather by utilizing “fusion technology” that combines multiple sensors including LiDAR, radar, and cameras.
Competitive Landscape and Market Dynamics
Japan’s autonomous truck market shows a dynamic mix of competition and cooperation, with multiple companies besides Robotruck entering the field.
Particularly noteworthy is T2, established by Mitsui & Co. with technology provided by Preferred Networks. T2 is a startup with strong backing from major companies including Mitsui & Co., Mitsubishi Estate, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance, Daiwa Logistics, KDDI, and JR Freight. They aim to commercialize Level 2 autonomous trucks in summer 2025 and are conducting demonstration experiments on highways between Tokyo and Osaka.
Additionally, Tier IV is also collaborating with commercial vehicle body manufacturers to build production systems for Level 4 autonomous commercial vehicles, accelerating movements toward social implementation. These companies take a strategy of leveraging partnerships with major corporations as their strength, utilizing existing logistics networks while gradually introducing autonomous driving technology.
Japan’s autonomous trucking market has become a very dynamic market with overseas giants, domestic major manufacturers, and startups like us all competing. However, we don’t view them only as competitors. Rather, we believe that industry-wide collaboration to advance social implementation is most important for saving Japan’s logistics.
Our business depends heavily on regulations. The logistics industry is a massive industry that has existed for a long time, with trucking associations, politicians, and various stakeholders closely involved. Building cooperative rather than confrontational relationships with them is essential.
We aim to build relationships through a business model that harmonizes with the existing logistics industry ecosystem, enabling mutual coexistence and prosperity through complementary relationships. (Haga)
Robotruck is steadily taking concrete steps toward social implementation. In just one year since establishment, they conducted seed round fundraising of approximately 300 million yen (about $2 million) from three VCs including University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners (UTEC), PKSHA Algorithm Fund II, and AIS Capital.
Additionally, in July 2025, they conducted fundraising in a Pre-Series A round led by Globis Capital Partners, with participation from ORIX Corporation. Subsequently, they received additional investment from JIC Venture Growth Investments (JIC-VGI), under the Industrial Innovation Investment Corporation (JIC), and SMBC Venture Capital, completing cumulative fundraising of 1.65 billion yen (approximately $11 million) for the Pre-Series A round. By welcoming government-affiliated funds and major bank-affiliated VCs as shareholders, the foundation as a leading autonomous trucking startup in Japan has become even more solid.
I think investors highly evaluated the fact that we’re not simply doing ‘technology development’ but aiming to ‘solve social issues.’ In particular, the track record of our founder Wu achieving NASDAQ listing in the US became a major basis of trust for investors. (Haga)
Technically, they also participate in demonstration experiments led by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, successfully completing a 100km Level 4 equivalent driving test on the Shin-Tomei Expressway between Suruga Bay Numazu SA (service areas) and Hamamatsu SA (see top image) within one year of establishment. Government and local authority-led demonstration experiments are important steps toward increasing social acceptance of autonomous driving technology and regulatory relaxation.
Particularly, the “Autonomous Driving Level 4 Advanced Mobility Services Research and Development and Social Implementation Project (RoAD to the L4)” being promoted from fiscal 2021 to 2025 aims to put autonomous trucks into practical use on highways and is deeply related to Robotruck’s business. This project presents an important roadmap for integrating autonomous driving technology into society, and Robotruck is steadily advancing development in line with it.
For autonomous driving to be realized, not only technology but also regulations, infrastructure, and social understanding must all be in place. In particular, when unmanned driving on highways will be permitted is a major key to the success or failure of our business.
We hear that the government is also advancing plans to develop “autonomous driving service support roads” equipped with vehicle-to-infrastructure communication facilities on highways, aiming for social implementation from fiscal year 2026 onward. We’re working to accelerate social implementation by advancing technology development and commercialization simultaneously while coordinating with such government movements. (Haga)
To give concrete form to this policy, Robotruck was selected for two consortia in fiscal 2025 under the Japanese Transport Ministry’s “Demonstration Project for Social Implementation of Trunk-Line Transport by Autonomous Trucks.” One is the “L4 Logistics Autonomous Driving Trailer Promotion Council” led by ORIX Auto Corporation (with participation from logistics operator Senko), and the other is a consortium led by Toyota Tsusho.
Robotruck is responsible for autonomous truck technology development in both consortia and plans to conduct demonstration runs using semi-trailer autonomous trucks between logistics hubs near the Shin-Tomei or Tomei Expressway. Collaboration with major logistics and trading companies such as ORIX Auto and Toyota Tsusho demonstrates that Robotruck’s technology is steadily advancing toward practical application and integration with existing logistics ecosystems.
As future plans, Robotruck is planning Level 4 equivalent demonstration experiments on the Tokyo-Nagoya route in fiscal 2025 and the Tokyo-Osaka route in fiscal 2026, with plans to introduce products to market in fiscal 2028.
Redefining Japan’s Logistics Infrastructure
Robotruck’s goal is not simply to create “automatically driving trucks.” They aim to redefine Japan’s logistics infrastructure itself through the innovative value that unmanned operation brings.
When autonomous driving is introduced, it becomes possible to dramatically improve truck utilization rates. Since human drivers no longer need to take turns resting, continuous nighttime and late-night operations become possible, making 24/7/365 continuous transport a reality. This allows transportation companies not only to reduce personnel costs but also to maximize utilization rates of vehicles as fixed assets and increase profits.
Additionally, autonomous driving systems maintain optimal speeds and following distances at all times, leading to reduced fuel consumption. This contributes to reducing environmental impact and leads to reduced running costs for transportation companies.
We don’t want to take away drivers’ jobs, but rather realize safer and more comfortable working conditions. As autonomous systems handle more responsibilities, drivers can focus on loading/unloading and customer service – higher value-added activities. This will improve working conditions, increase industry attractiveness, and encourage young people to enter the field. We want to create a future where drivers can work safely and with pride. That’s our mission. (Haga)
Beyond operational improvements, autonomous trucks will have major impacts not only on the logistics industry but on Japan’s entire supply chain. They will enable maintaining stable logistics even in situations where labor shortages are serious, such as disaster relief transport and delivery to depopulated areas.
Particularly, autonomous trucks are expected to play important roles in supporting the lives of rural areas where logistics tend to be cut off. Stabilizing trunk-line logistics connecting cities and rural areas can contribute to revitalizing rural industries and economies. In the future, autonomous trucks should become indispensable for building more robust and flexible supply chains as the lifeblood of Japan’s economic activities.
When Robotruck’s technology is deployed commercially, Japan’s logistics will be reborn as more robust and sustainable. Their challenge brings new hope to Japan’s logistics industry and will become the foundation for building future society. Attention is focused on Robotruck’s future developments as they advance both technological evolution and social transformation.
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