Japan Post, Nippon Express tie up to expand parcel delivery
Japan Post, the newly created public corporation operating postal services, will team up with Nippon Express Co Ltd to handle parcel delivery services via convenience store operators Daily Yamazaki Co Ltd and am/pm Japan Co Ltd beginning June 1, The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported, without citing sources.
Nippon Express, which already handles home delivery packages through the two chains, will oversee transport operations, while Japan Post will be in charge of deliveries.
The parcel service, known as Yu-Pack, will initially be handled at 25 directly operated outlets, and the service may eventually be expanded to all 3,400 stores depending on such factors as customer response. Postal mailboxes will also be installed in stores at that time.
The market for home delivery and parcel service totals about 3 bln packages per year. The highly profitable business segment involving packages sent by retail customers is dominated by Yamato Transport Co Ltd, Nippon Express and Japan Post. But Japan Post only has 70,000 handling outlets compared with 300,000 for Yamato Transport, which uses high-traffic convenience stores.
By partnering with Nippon Express, Japan Post will bolster its transport capabilities and pave the way towards incorporating major convenience store chains, the financial daily reported.
