AUTOMOTIVE MECHANIC
05Automotive Mechanic
Shaken, EVs, electronic controls. The car’s family doctor.
Mechanics do statutory inspection（車検）servicing, periodic inspections, accident repairs and servicing of electronic control systems. A certified garage（認証工場）can only keep operating if at least a set share of its workers are licensed mechanics. The average age of maintenance staff is 47.7 (end of June 2025), and young mechanics are in demand.
- Job openings ratioMachinery maintenance & repair workers (incl. plant maintenance, etc.) / FY2025
- 4.043.7× all jobs
- Est. annual payAutomotive maintenance & repair workers / avg. age 40.6
- ¥5.04M
- Key licenses
- 3rd-class Automotive Mechanic（三級自動車整備士）2nd-class Automotive Mechanic（二級自動車整備士）1st-class Small Vehicle Mechanic（一級小型自動車整備士）
Sources: 一般職業紹介状況・雇用関係指標（年度）2025年度 — Employment Referrals for General Workers, FY2025 (MHLW) / 令和7年賃金構造基本統計調査 — 2025 Basic Survey on Wage Structure (MHLW, Mar 2026). Full-time only: 4.50. JASPA’s industry survey gives an average annual income of about ¥4.43M (dealers about ¥5.35M).
01 WORK
What the job involves
Shaken servicing
Inspect and service vehicles so they pass the statutory inspection. Since October 2024 this includes OBD inspection of electronic systems.
Periodic inspection & general repair
Checking and repairing oil, brakes, suspension and more.
Accident repair
Repairs including bodywork and painting. Sales were up 9.4% year on year in the 2025 survey.
Electronic control system servicing
Servicing systems such as automatic emergency braking (under the specified maintenance system（特定整備制度）since April 2020).
Where you’d work
Average age 37.9, average annual income about ¥5.35M. New-car inspections, warranty repairs, manufacturer training.
Average age 53.0, average annual income about ¥3.96M. Neighborhood garages: shaken, general repair, bodywork, etc.
Average age 49.0, average annual income about ¥4.20M.
Servicing the company’s own vehicles.
Average age and income by workplace type: 令和7年度 自動車特定整備業実態調査結果の概要 — summary of the FY2025 survey of certified automotive maintenance businesses (JASPA, Jan 2026).
02 LICENSE
Steps to getting licensed
Assistant work, car washing and tire changes can be done without a license. You can build practical experience and go 3rd class → 2nd class, or complete a 2nd-class course at an automotive vocational school (Type 1 training institution（一種養成施設）).
- STEP01NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED
Start as a mechanic’s assistant
Car washing, tire changes and helping remove and fit parts need no license.
- STEP02
3rd-class Automotive Mechanic（三級自動車整備士）
Take the exam after gaining practical experience / 3rd-class course at a Type 1 training institution (900 hours, 1+ year)
FY2025 1st round: 3rd-class chassis, written 70.8%
- STEP03
2nd-class Automotive Mechanic（二級自動車整備士）
Practical experience after passing 3rd class (2+ years for university or high school graduates, etc.) / 2nd-class course at a Type 1 training institution (1,800 hours, 2+ years) / Type 2 training institution（二種養成施設）(for people with experience)
FY2025 1st round: 2nd-class gasoline, written 61.9%
- STEP04GOAL
1st-class Small Vehicle Mechanic（一級小型自動車整備士）
The top license. The registration exam is written (paper and oral) + practical
1st-class small vehicle, practical (Aug 2026): 91.6%
Averages by type of garage (JASPA industry survey, end of June 2025)
| Type | Establishments | Avg. age | Avg. annual income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dealers | 16,176 | 37.9 | about ¥5.35M |
| Side-business | 15,767 | 49.0 | about ¥4.20M |
| Specialized | 56,834 | 53.0 | about ¥3.96M |
Source: 令和7年度 自動車特定整備業実態調査結果の概要 — Summary of the FY2025 survey of certified automotive maintenance businesses (Japan Automobile Service Promotion Association (JASPA), Jan 2026). Some pass rates are calculated from the numbers of examinees and passers.
See the license roadmap for all five trades →03 PAY & DEMAND
Pay and job openings ratio
Source: 令和7年賃金構造基本統計調査（一般労働者・企業規模10人以上） — 2025 Basic Survey on Wage Structure (regular employees, enterprises with 10+ employees) (MHLW, published Mar 2026). Estimated annual pay = scheduled monthly cash earnings × 12 + annual bonus; an estimate made by the source material (not an officially published figure). Regular employees at enterprises with 10+ employees.
JOB OPENINGS RATIO
4.04
Machinery maintenance & repair workers (incl. plant maintenance, etc.) (FY2025)
Full-time only: 4.50. That works out to about 4.0 job openings per job seeker.
Source: 一般職業紹介状況（職業安定業務統計）・雇用関係指標（年度）2025年度 — Employment Referrals for General Workers, FY2025 (MHLW, published 2026). Through Hello Work, regular employment incl. part-time.
04 WORK STYLE
Working conditions & rule changes
Pay that rises with experience
Estimated annual pay keeps rising from about ¥3.61M in the early 20s to about ¥5.98M in the early 50s.
Servicing EVs & hybrids
Under the Industrial Safety and Health Regulations, servicing vehicles with built-in batteries of more than 50 V to ground is work that requires special education.
OBD inspection
An electronic systems check (OBD inspection) was added to shaken from October 1, 2024 for domestic cars and October 1, 2025 for imported cars.
Busy seasons & days off
It is often said that the end of the fiscal year and tire-change seasons are busy and that dealers mostly have weekday days off, but the statistics don’t confirm this.
05 FIELD CHECK
Ask this on your visit.
On a visit or trial day, ask the people on site about the things a job ad doesn’t show.
- Q1
Are you a dealer, specialized or side-business garage, and what is the mix of shaken, general repair, bodywork and electrified vehicles?
WHYAge profile and pay differ greatly by type of business.
- Q2
Will you support me from no experience through 3rd class and then 2nd class?
WHYAsk whether they cover Type 2 training institution fees and exam fees, and whether there is an allowance when you pass.
- Q3
Do you have scan tools and specified maintenance certification? What about high-voltage special education?
WHYWhether you can gain experience with electronic controls and electrified vehicles.
- Q4
Do I need to buy my own tools?
WHYThere are no statistics on the custom of paying for your own tools. Check at each workplace.
- Q5
Who mentors the younger staff?
WHYThe average age at specialized garages is 53.0. Look at how teaching is organized.
Visit a workplace in this trade before you choose.
With Cura, you can apply for a visit or a paid trial day without a résumé or interview. It’s free for job seekers.
The Cura app is in Japanese.（クーラのアプリ／サイトは日本語です）
NOTE / READING THE NUMBERS
- The “machinery maintenance & repair workers” openings ratio also includes maintenance of machines other than cars.
- The Basic Survey on Wage Structure (enterprises with 10+ employees) and JASPA’s industry survey (sample-based estimate covering all sizes) differ by about ¥600,000 in average annual income. We note which figure is which.
- Exam pass rates vary with the mix of examinees in each round, so don’t compare them across rounds.
SOURCES
- 一般職業紹介状況（職業安定業務統計）・雇用関係指標（年度）2025年度 — Employment Referrals for General Workers (Public Employment Security Statistics), employment indicators by fiscal year, FY2025 (MHLW, published 2026)
- 令和7年賃金構造基本統計調査（一般労働者・企業規模10人以上） — 2025 Basic Survey on Wage Structure (regular employees, enterprises with 10+ employees) (MHLW, published Mar 2026)
- 令和7年度 自動車特定整備業実態調査結果の概要 — Summary of the FY2025 survey of certified automotive maintenance businesses (Japan Automobile Service Promotion Association (JASPA), Jan 2026)
- 自動車整備士になるには — How to become an automotive mechanic (Japan Automobile Service Promotion Association (JASPA), accessed Sept 2026)
- 令和7年度第1回 自動車整備技能登録試験 試験結果 — FY2025 1st automotive mechanic registration exam results (Japan Automobile Service Promotion Association (JASPA), 2025)
- 自動車の電子的な検査（OBD検査）について — Electronic vehicle inspection (OBD inspection) (MLIT, started Oct 2024)
- 労働安全衛生規則 第36条（e-Gov法令検索） — Industrial Safety and Health Regulations Art. 36 (e-Gov law search) (Digital Agency (e-Gov), current version)