Trouble with Post Office Roll Calls: Violations of Laws and Regulations Run Rampant, an Intolerable Situation

Editorial

15:39 JST, October 10, 2025

It is astonishing that violations involving neglect of the fundamentals of safe operations had become the norm to such an extent. Japan Post Co. must not only work to prevent delivery disruptions but also take thorough measures to prevent a recurrence.

The Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry has suspended the use of some microvans at certain post offices based on the Motor Truck Transportation Business Law as a disciplinary action, citing inadequacies in the legally mandated roll calls for delivery drivers at the post offices.

In June, the ministry took the unusual step of revoking the business license for about 2,500 trucks and other vehicles responsible for transport between key post offices. As a result of a subsequent special audit of post offices, numerous violations were newly discovered, including failure to conduct roll calls and the submission of false reports.

Starting on Oct. 8, the use of a total of 188 microvans at 111 post offices across all 47 prefectures has been suspended for 15 to 160 days. Ultimately, about 2,400 post offices are expected to be subject to the disciplinary action.

Roll calls are legally mandated to confirm the drivers’ health and sobriety. They are essential for safe operations for logistics companies.

It is nothing short of astonishing that legal violations are expected to be uncovered at over 70% of the about 3,200 post offices responsible for collection and delivery services. Japan Post should take this disciplinary action seriously and eradicate its corporate culture of disregarding laws and regulations.

The red microvans are the main method used by the local delivery business to collect mail from mailboxes and make home deliveries. The sole microvan at nine post offices in prefectures including Iwate and Fukui will become unusable. In Hokkaido, 17 post offices are expected to face suspension periods exceeding 100 days, meaning the suspension of the usage of the vehicles will likely continue through the year-end and New Year holiday season.

To minimize the negative impact on deliveries, every possible effort must be made, such as by outsourcing them to other companies.

This month marks 20 years since the Postal Service Privatization Law was enacted, aiming to invigorate the business and diversify services through privatization. However, the reality has been disappointing as a spate of scandals as well as declining service quality have been noticeable.

The malfunction of Japan Post’s corporate governance also is serious, and the company continues to lack a customer-centric perspective. The issue of undelivered mail, which prompted administrative guidance from the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry last month, is a typical example.

Previously, Japan Post disclosed only cases that were recognized as crimes, in which delivery personnel intentionally hid or discarded mailed items. Cases in which it was unclear who was to blame for lost mail were reportedly not disclosed.

This approach could leave customers unaware that their mail did not arrive. The internal affairs ministry’s directive to disclose such cases in principle is entirely appropriate.

The postal service is a universal service available uniformly nationwide. Japan Post must bear in mind that public trust is important.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 10, 2025)