Shinkansen bullet trains could be operating across Japan without drivers from the mid-2030s, according to one of its primary rail operators, driven by the country’s demographic challenges. East Japan Railway (JR East) plans to initially deploy trains with automated driver tasks—though drivers will still be present in the cab—on segments of one route starting in 2028, the company announced on Tuesday. By the following year, the company aims to test driverless trains on a short section of out-of-service track before fully implementing them between Tokyo and Niigata on the Joetsu Shinkansen line by the mid-2030s.

“By achieving driverless operations and transforming railway management into an efficient and sustainable system, we will adapt to social changes such as population decline and evolving work practices,” a company statement read.

The primary motivation behind this initiative, however, is the necessity to continuously innovate railway technology, which may also help address labor shortages and other issues, a JR East spokesperson told AFP on Wednesday. The Shinkansen’s top speed on the Joetsu route is 275 kilometers (170 miles) per hour, but on other lines, they can reach speeds of 300 km/h or more.

Japan, with the world’s second-oldest shrinking population, is already experiencing worker shortages across various sectors of the economy.