Overview
- MLIT said on Feb. 10 it finished notifying 1,862 post offices in all 47 prefectures to halt use of 3,333 light delivery vans.
- The suspensions stem from nonperformance of legally mandated pre‑ and post‑duty checks and the falsification of related records.
- Light vans are core to Yu‑Pack parcel delivery, so Japan Post has leaned on subcontractors and vehicle loans from urban offices to cover gaps, with rural areas facing greater strain.
- Japan Post rolled out a digital point‑call system using smartphone facial recognition and linked alcohol tests, yet frontline managers report persistent compliance lapses.
- The crackdown follows a separate June 2025 penalty that stripped Japan Post of its heavy‑truck transport permit for five years, and the company guides remediation costs at around 10 billion yen.