Japan's auto industry opens door to foreign car mechanics

TOKYO -- Young people from developing countries in Asia are flocking to Japan to enroll in technical colleges for auto mechanics, hoping to fill a void in the nation's workforce created by its falling birthrate.

The schools, operated by automakers like Toyota, Honda and Nissan or independently, are welcoming the post-COVID surge as they seek to meet the domestic demand for computer-savvy mechanics who can repair high-tech cars -- including ones that run on batteries.