Japan Post to lose trucking license over fake sobriety tests
In an unprecedented move, the transport ministry plans to revoke Japan Post Co.'s trucking business license over its failure to properly check on the health of its drivers, including for drunkenness.
The ministry said June 5 that statutory roll calls were conducted improperly or even falsified at more than 70 of 119 post offices that use trucks, vans and other general cargo vehicles in violation of the Trucking Business Law.
The offending post offices did not subject drivers to alcohol tests or simply pretended to have done the mandatory inspections.
The ministry plans to soon make a formal decision to revoke the trucking business license, the first such punishment for improper roll calls. Large-scale transport operators, such as Japan Post, have never had this license revoked.
Without the license, Japan Post will be unable to use its approximately 2,500 trucks and vans or gain inspections for its general cargo vehicles for five years.
The company will be forced to outsource its operations to other companies in the same industry.
Japan Post uses vans and other vehicles to collect packages at large post offices in urban areas.
Although light trucks are not covered by the license, the ministry is discussing whether to temporarily ban Japan Post's use of certain light trucks.
The number of penalty points under the law far exceeded the threshold for a revocation of the license in the jurisdiction of the ministry's Kanto District Transport Bureau.
In a notice issued on June 5, the ministry informed Japan Post of the opportunity to present its case in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Law.
'We recognize that this is an extremely serious violation of the law. As a carrier that uses public roads throughout Japan on a daily basis and is responsible for the social infrastructure of the postal and logistics business, we consider this to be a serious matter that could affect our very existence,' Japan Post said in a statement released on June 5.
'We will closely examine the details of the administrative action and its impact on customers and our business, and will promptly consider specific measures to be taken,' it said.
The ministry's regional transport bureaus and branch offices have been conducting on-site audits, giving priority to post offices that use trucks, vans and other general cargo vehicles.
In April, Japan Post released the results of a nationwide survey on the implementation of roll calls.
Of the 3,188 post offices surveyed, 2,391, or 75 percent, were found to be conducting improper roll calls.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Today
3 days ago
- Japan Today
Gov't to revoke Japan Post license for lax driver alcohol tests
The government on Thursday notified Japan Post Co of its plan to revoke the company's license to operate some 2,500 of its freight delivery vans and trucks after many post offices failed to properly check if drivers had consumed alcohol. License revocation is the most serious administrative penalty available to authorities under the motor truck transportation business law. It is rare for a major operator to face such a severe punishment and it means Japan Post will not be able to reacquire the license for five years. The notification came after the Tokyo-based operator said in April that 75 percent of its 3,188 post offices nationwide had failed to properly conduct mandatory roll calls to check whether delivery drivers had alcohol in their system. A special audit conducted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism found many post offices subject to the probe were found to have falsified roll call records, according to sources familiar with the matter. The ministry's Kanto District Transport Bureau will hear opinions regarding the penalty from Japan Post on June 18. "It is a serious incident concerning the future existence (of our service). We will carefully examine the effects on our customers and businesses and promptly consider specific measures to be taken," said Japan Post, operator of the Yu-Pack parcel delivery service. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a press conference that the case is "extremely regrettable, as it could jeopardize safe transportation." The ministry said it found 82 post offices had violated laws after inspecting 119 offices flagged by Japan Post for improper conduct. The ministry will also consider ordering Japan Post to suspend the use of approximately 32,000 vans and other vehicles. Some 83,000 motorcycles that are mainly used for mail delivery are not subject to the motor truck transportation business law. According to Japan Post, one driver was found to be intoxicated after consuming wine while on duty in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, while another crashed into a fence after drinking on the job in Saitama Prefecture. © KYODO
Japan Times
3 days ago
- Japan Times
Japan Post may lose cargo license over widespread driver check failures
Japan Post may have its general cargo vehicle license revoked, the transport ministry said Wednesday, following revelations of the company's widespread failures in conducting mandatory alcohol and health checks for its drivers. The unprecedented move would be the heaviest administrative penalty available under the motor truck transportation business law, which stipulates that business operators must conduct sobriety checks for their drivers before and after work. If the revocation goes ahead, Japan Post would be barred from reapplying for a new license for five years, affecting around 2,500 trucks and one-box vans used by post offices nationwide. While the company's 32,000 mini vehicles would not be affected by the measure, as they are not covered by the license, the ministry is also reportedly considering barring Japan Post from using such vehicles. A formal hearing with the company will be held on June 18 at the Kanto District Transport Bureau in Yokohama. Disruptions to the company's transport services — including parcel deliveries — are seen as inevitable, and the company is reportedly considering outsourcing its operations to mitigate the impact. The safety violations first came to light in January, when it was discovered that a post office in Hyogo Prefecture had for years failed to properly check drivers' sobriety, fatigue level and quantity of sleep status . In April, Japan Post disclosed that improper checks had occurred at 75% of its 3,188 delivery offices nationwide. In response, the transport ministry launched a special audit on April 25 under the motor truck transportation business law and began on-site inspections at facilities such as Takanawa Post Office in Tokyo's Minato ward and others across the country. The ministry has prioritized inspecting post offices that operate trucks and one-box vehicles, which pose higher accident risks if driven while drunk. The audit revealed numerous instances of missed checks and falsified records in the Kanto region alone, far surpassing the threshold for license revocation. A senior ministry official said the violations 'undermine the very foundation of transport safety.' Japan Post issued a statement acknowledging the severity of the situation, saying, "We deeply regret this matter and apologize for any inconvenience it may cause to our customers and other concerned parties." A transport ministry official said they will provide support to Japan Post to lessen the impact on its distribution network should its license be revoked.
The Mainichi
3 days ago
- The Mainichi
Gov't to revoke Japan Post license for lax driver alcohol tests
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The government on Thursday notified Japan Post Co. of its plan to revoke the company's license to operate some 2,500 of its freight delivery vans and trucks after many post offices failed to properly check if drivers had consumed alcohol. License revocation is the most serious administrative penalty available to authorities under the motor truck transportation business law. It is rare for a major operator to face such a severe punishment and it means Japan Post will not be able to reacquire the license for five years. The notification came after the Tokyo-based operator said in April that 75 percent of its 3,188 post offices nationwide had failed to properly conduct mandatory roll calls to check whether delivery drivers had alcohol in their system. A special audit conducted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism found many post offices subject to the probe were found to have falsified roll call records, according to sources familiar with the matter. The ministry's Kanto District Transport Bureau will hear opinions regarding the penalty from Japan Post on June 18. "It is a serious incident concerning the future existence (of our service). We will carefully examine the effects on our customers and businesses and promptly consider specific measures to be taken," said Japan Post, operator of the Yu-Pack parcel delivery service. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a press conference that the case is "extremely regrettable, as it could jeopardize safe transportation." The ministry said it found 82 post offices had violated laws after inspecting 119 offices flagged by Japan Post for improper conduct. The ministry will also consider ordering Japan Post to suspend the use of approximately 32,000 vans and other vehicles. Some 83,000 motorcycles that are mainly used for mail delivery are not subject to the motor truck transportation business law. According to Japan Post, one driver was found to be intoxicated after consuming wine while on duty in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, while another crashed into a fence after drinking on the job in Saitama Prefecture.
