Japan‘s ordinary mail services expand profit in FY 2001

Japan’s ordinary mail services remained in the black in fiscal 2001 for the second consecutive year with revenues topping expenses by 10.7 billion yen, an increase of 6.6 billion yen from the previous year, the postal ministry said Friday.

Despite a drop in revenues resulting from a decrease in the number of mail handled, the service posted the profit by cutting costs, the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications said.

By category, services involving letters and postcards scored respective profits of 63.5 billion yen and 6.4 billion yen in the fiscal year ended March 31, up from 54.6 billion yen and 1.3 billion yen the previous year.

But the category of publications such as newspapers and magazines saw its deficit increase to 30.7 billion yen from 28.1 billion yen, reflecting a drop in the number of issues.

Parcel delivery services, where competition from private companies is expected to increase, scored a deficit of 5.1 billion yen, down from 8 billion yen, due to a 60% rise in the delivery of brochures and booklets.