‘How can such a tiny woman drive a big truck?’ Japan’s labour shortage forces it to rethink gender stereotypes

Freight and logistics sector is turning to women to fill gap as demand for drivers grows alongside cap on overtime

When Mayumi Watanabe tells people what she does for a living, most struggle to hide their surprise, and not just because of her diminutive stature. As a truck driver with 23 years behind the wheel, she is one of a small but growing number of women coming to the rescue of an industry that is the beating heart of Japan's economy.

I can see they're thinking, How can such a tiny woman drive a big truck?'" Watanabe, who is 152cm (5ft) tall, told the Observer as she prepared for the busy run-up to the end of the year. But I've always loved cars, so it felt natural to want to be a truck driver."