Latest news with #JapanPostCo.
Yomiuri Shimbun
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Japan Post: Organizational Laxity Invited Unusually Severe Penalty
Japan Post Co. has been forced to cease use of many of its vehicles due to widespread legal violations that disregarded safety in its postal service, which supports people's lives. The firm must prevent any similar incidents while working to reduce disruptions. The Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry has decided to revoke Japan Post's relevant license under the Motor Truck Transportation Business Law after it was found that the company failed to conduct roll calls for delivery drivers or did not conduct them in the proper manner. About 2,500 vehicles, including trucks, that are owned by post offices nationwide will no longer be available for use. A new license cannot be obtained for five years after it is revoked. This is the most severe penalty under the law, and it is highly unusual for a major shipping company to be given such a punishment. The roll calls are intended to check on the health of drivers and whether they have alcohol in their system. This is a mandatory practice for shipping companies as a prerequisite for safe operations. However, Japan Post found in an investigation that more than 70%, or about 2,400, of its post offices nationwide offering delivery and collection services had failed to conduct roll calls properly. The ministry then conducted a special audit and found that, in addition to the problem with roll calls, many records were also falsified. Disregarding laws and regulations and neglecting measures meant to ensure safety are unacceptable. That such widespread violations were left unresolved shows just how lax the corporate culture is at Japan Post. When did this malpractice start? A thorough investigation must be conducted. What is most concerning is the effect this scandal could have on Japan Post's postal and parcel delivery services. Japan Post delivers mail and parcels via truck between larger postal offices, which serve as hubs. About 32,000 microvans and other small vehicles are used for services such as home deliveries and to collect mail from mailboxes. With the House of Councillors election and the traditional summer gift-giving season approaching, the volume of deliveries is expected to increase. The delivery of letters, postcards and other types of personal correspondence is a basic service that allows people to communicate with one another. These deliveries are subject to strict regulations, even when they are outsourced only partially. Japan Post is likely to outsource some of its services to other shipping companies for the time being. However, there is a serious shortage of truck drivers, so securing new outsourcing partners will not be easy. The ministry plans to conduct an audit on microvans and other types of vehicles in the future. While smaller vehicles must be registered, companies do not have to obtain business licenses for them, meaning there is no rule to revoke permits. However, firms may still be barred from using these vehicles if there is a serious violation. Authorities must be thorough in correcting such improper practices. With fewer letters and postcards being sent, Japan Post is facing a difficult financial situation as its postal and logistics businesses continue to be in the red. This scandal could have a growing impact on people's lives. Japan Post should once again reflect on how disregarding laws and regulations not only deals a serious blow to its business but also places a heavy burden on the people. (From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 8, 2025)
The Mainichi
5 days ago
- Business
- 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.
Asahi Shimbun
6 days ago
- Business
- Asahi Shimbun
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.
6 days ago
- Automotive
Japan Post to Be Stripped of Truck Transport Biz Permit
News from Japan Jun 5, 2025 13:50 (JST) Tokyo, June 5 (Jiji Press)--Japan Post Co. is set to lose its general motor truck transport business permit over improperly conducted mandatory alcohol and health checks on delivery drivers, according to a transport ministry notice issued on Thursday. Once the permit is revoked, Japan Post will become unable to use about 2,500 of its trucks and other vehicles for five years. It is unusual for a major transportation company to be stripped of its license. The ministry will formally revoke the permit after conducting a hearing of the company at the Kanto District Transport Bureau in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, on June 18. Japan Post's fleet of roughly 32,000 minivehicles are exempt from the measure as such vehicles are not operated under a permit system, but the ministry is considering suspending vehicles at each post office. The move is seen dealing a blow to Japan Post's logistics operations such as the Yu-Pack parcel delivery business, and the company is expected to consider outsourcing those operations. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Asahi Shimbun
27-05-2025
- Business
- Asahi Shimbun
Japan Post aims to streamline online forms via address codes
Japan Post Co. has rolled out its new "Digital Address" service that links individual residential addresses with unique seven-character alphanumeric codes. The service, which began on May 26, aims to simplify address input and reduce errors, particularly in online interactions, and requires users to sign up to receive a code. Until now, entering a postal code online typically displays the corresponding town or district name. With a Digital Address, users can have the full address automatically filled in, including street number and apartment. The feature is currently only available on Japan Post's app for creating shipping labels for the company's Yu-Pack parcels. Future applications may extend to other businesses and systems beyond Japan Post, such as registering delivery or membership information online. Entering destinations into car navigation systems, booking taxis and completing forms at hotels or medical facilities are other processes where a code may someday come in handy. Notably, Japan Post has clarified that it does not plan to use Digital Addresses for physical mail delivery. To obtain a Digital Address, users must first register for a "Yu ID," which serves as the account for Japan Post's overall services. As of the end of April, 15 million Yu IDs had been issued. This address code remains constant even if the user moves; updating the associated address only requires filing a change-of-address notification. With privacy as a key concern, the Digital Address links only to a physical location, not to any individual's name. The service is free of charge, both for initial registration and updates. Japan Post will allow third-party businesses to integrate the service into their platforms free of charge. This would enable companies to manage customer address data more efficiently and receive real-time updates on address changes. Major entities such as Rakuten Group Inc. are reportedly considering adoption. A spokesperson for Japan Post emphasized the initiative's long-term potential to enhance convenience and drive new revenue streams. 'We're aiming to promote widespread use over the next 10 years,' the representative said.
