Japan Post Mulls Integrating Over 500 Collection and Delivery Centers; Expects to Redevelop Some Properties into Commercial Complexes

The Yomiuri Shimbun

2:00 JST, January 3, 2026

Japan Post Co. is considering consolidating more than 500 of its about 3,000 collection and delivery bases nationwide by fiscal 2028, according to informed sources.

By reorganizing its smaller bases in regional areas, Japan Post intends to improve the efficiency of its operations at a time when demand for postal services is decreasing. It also plans to redevelop some of the sites into commercial complexes and other facilities that will serve as stable sources of revenue to support the mailing network.

The sources also said that Japan Post is making arrangements to include the project in the next mid-term management plan, covering fiscal 2026-2028, which will be released as early as May this year. It plans to review mail routes so that it can continue to provide high-quality service, including not increasing the time needed to deliver a piece of mail, even with a smaller number of bases.

Japan Post also plans to maintain about 24,000 post counters across the country. Without cutting its existing workforce, it will limit new hiring and gradually reduce personnel costs.

The reorganization of its collection and delivery bases will involve integrating small-sized collection and delivery centers in regional areas, consolidating their operations at relatively large post offices in neighboring areas, allowing these functions to be performed more efficiently.

In urban areas, Japan Post plans to make use of well-located properties currently occupied by post offices, such as those around major railway stations. Under the new plan, it aims to build a commercial complex on the site where the Kyoto Central Post Office is now located, next to Kyoto Station. Japan Post believes it has about 30 sites that could be used for real estate development.

The reorganization plan is also meant to boost its safety management system. It came to light in 2025 that Japan Post had been failing to properly conduct roll calls for delivery vehicle drivers. In some cases, roll calls were not conducted on weekends and at busy times, when manpower ran short, indicating that personnel shortages were part of the problem.

So Japan Post plans to increase the number of personnel at larger delivery centers and ensure that laws, ordinances and internal rules are thoroughly followed.

The slumping mailing business is a major reason why Japan Post is expediting efforts to consolidate collection and delivery bases. The number of pieces of mail handled by Japan Post is estimated to have declined from its peak of 26.3 billion in fiscal 2001 to less than half of that, at 11.7 billion, in fiscal 2025.