Postal minister Taro Aso has said his ministry will consider privatizing postal services primarily under a holding company format.
“A lot of variations are conceivable” for privatization under a holding company, Aso, minister of public management, home affairs, posts and telecommunications, said during a House of Representatives committee session.
Read MoreThe president of Japan’s postal service has promised to carry out far-reaching reforms to make his business profitable in four years, but stopped short of backing Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s proposal to privatize the company.
Masaharu Ikuta, former chairman of shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, was hand-picked by Koizumi to be president of Japan Post six months ago when the government agency became a public corporation.
Read MoreJapan’s mammoth postal service will cut its workforce by 17,000 by March 2005 to prepare for full privatisation, a key reform pledge of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, its new head said.
In the biggest change in the 132-year history of the postal services, Japan Post was revamped as a corporation in April this year as a first step towards full privatisation targetted for 2007.
Read MoreJapan Post has said it will begin a new small-parcel delivery service for a uniform fee of 500 yen in all parts of Japan on Oct. 14.
The new service, which is currently available on a trial basis in Tokyo and Osaka, is part of Japan Post’s strategy to reinforce its mail business.
Read MoreSagawa Express Co. and Japan Post have agreed to join forces in the delivery of direct mail to households.
The two entities aim to slash costs and expand their customer bases by having Sagawa collect marketing materials and other direct mail from corporate clients and Japan Post deliver them to homes. They are also eyeing jointly handling personal correspondence – on which Japan Post has a near monopoly – in the near future.
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