The Japanese unit of Germany’s BMW AG and Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corp. have launched a joint program in April aimed at training auto mechanics in Japan as part of efforts to address a “severe” labor shortage in the industry. The program, led by the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan, seeks to provide a platform to train a new generation of mechanics in three years, shorter than the five years usually needed to acquire necessary skills. Under the program, which is based on Germany’s dual vocational training system, trainees will sign a contract with the automakers to spend …