Japan Post expanding 'furusato' service
Japan Post’s furusato hometown parcel service, which sells and distributes specialty goods particular to various regions of the nation, is gradually being introduced in other parts of Asia.
The postal services corporation, which is looking to increase the amount of overseas business its Express Mail Service handles, has already inked deals with counterparts in South Korea and China, and intends to expand further into Asia.
Japan Post and Korea Post set up a Web site in Japanese, Hangul and English in April to promote the International Furusato Parcels products of both nations, such as kimchi and Japanese dolls.
Since the launch, the number of customers to use the service has jumped by more than 10-fold, Japan Post officials said.
About 1,200 products from South Korea and 25 products from Japan are offered on the site.
Beijing’s China State Post Bureau decided earlier this month to join the network, the officials added.
Payment can only be made by credit card, but Japan Post plans to introduce alternative methods, such as direct debit from postal savings accounts, in the future.
The corporation has agreed to begin cash-on-delivery payments with Korea Post within a year, officials said.
Meanwhile, the postal authorities of the three nations said they will draw up rules for a trilateral remittance system, as there are no established rules currently in place between the Tokyo and Beijing operators.
Japan Post hopes to sell the trilateral payment system to Internet shopping companies seeking to expand their business in terms of product distribution and international settlement in Asia.
