Japan open for international mail, although delays expected
Postal operators around the world are advising customers that despite the tragic events of last week, international mail is now being accepted in Japan, even for some of the disaster-hit areas. Japan Post has resumed deliveries in some of the areas affected by the earthquake, with staff attempting to deliver items to those in refugee centres, although delivery difficulties remain in the region.
Problem areas include areas along the Pacific coast and inland areas of Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima and Ibaraki prefectures, including parts of areas with postal codes beginning with the numbers 02, 03, 30, 31, 96, 97 and 98.
Other affected areas include the Fukushima nuclear evacuation zone, some 160 miles northeast of greater Tokyo, where people have been evacuated from within 19 miles of the damaged nuclear power plant – parts of the areas with postal codes starting 96 or 97.
The US Postal Service issued an advisory statement on Wednesday confirming that all types of mail can be sent to Japan, although mailers should expect delays.
Canada Post also said postal deliveries were being made available even in areas affected by Friday’s earthquake and tsunami, where possible. Polish Post warned that items that cannot be delivered to those affected by the disaster after Japan Post’s attempts to deliver would be returned to sender, even if not required by the sender.
New Zealand Post warned that delays should be expected even for mail destined to areas in Japan unaffected by last week’s earthquake and tsunami. Finland’s Itella Posti noted that there have been issues in Japan’s internal flight connections causing delays.
With the delivery delays in Japan, postal operators have warned that some of their guaranteed timed delivery services may not be able to provide tracking data as usual. The USPS said there was likely to be delays in the transmission of data regarding Express Mail International items and Priority Mail International parcels.
Canada Post has suspended its on-time delivery guarantee for its Xpresspost International and Priority Worldwide items mailed to Japan on or after March 14, 2011.
Radiation
The major express carriers resumed services with Japan earlier this week, although suspensions have been put in place for the nuclear exclusion zone around the Fukushima nuclear plant.
TNT said yesterday it had suspended its TNT Express service in the exclusion zone, stating: “TNT’s primary concern is the safety of its employees, most of whom work in the areas of Tokyo and Osaka. TNT Express is closely monitoring the evolving situation and will follow the advice of Japanese and international health authorities.”
In terms of outbound Japanese mail and the radiation leak from the Fukushima nuclear power plant, Japan Post has issued an advisory notice insisting that despite “serious” damage to the reactors, the level of radiation in Japan “is far below the level that may affect the human body”.
There had been some concern in the media as low-level radiation from Japanese mail was detected by the US Customs and Border Protection screening in New York and San Francisco.
However, the Japanese postal operator pointed out that collection and delivery of postal items within the 19-mile exclusion zone was not being provided, and offered government figures on measurements of radiation.
These figures suggested that the amount of radiation measured on Wednesday within the 19-mile exclusion zone was less radiation than the amount a passenger might be exposed to on a New York-Tokyo flight. Radiation levels measured in Tokyo, were less than the global average exposure levels.
“Therefore, Japan Post would like postal operators to continue to transport postal items sent from Japan to addresses in the destination country and to request concerned authorities to facilitate the necessary handling to forward postal items if necessary,” Japan Post said.
