September 20, 2024 Current Status of the Specified Correspondence Business

 The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) compiled the current status of the specified correspondence business in FY 2023 based on the business performance reports and business reports for FY 2023 submitted by specified correspondence business licensees.

[Overview of summary results]

 20 years have passed since the Act on Correspondence Delivery by Private Business Operators (Act No. 99 of 2002) came into effect in 2003. This Act has allowed private businesses to enter the postal sector for correspondence delivery, which had previously been monopolized by the government. The following are key points regarding the current status of the specified correspondence business in FY 2023:

• As at the end of FY 2023, there were 596 specified correspondence business licensees, an increase of 13 from the end of the previous fiscal year.
• The total number of specified correspondences received in FY 2023 was approximately 21.16 million, an increase of approximately 1.16 million (5.8%) from the previous fiscal year.
• The total sales of specified correspondences in FY 2023 were approximately 18.8 billion yen, an increase of approximately 700 million yen or 4.0% from the previous fiscal year.

[Overview of the reporting system]

 Pursuant to Article 41 of the Regulations for Enforcement of the Act on Correspondence Delivery by Private Business Operators (MIC Ordinance No. 27 of 2003), the MIC requests that correspondence business licensees annually submit a business performance report detailing the number of correspondences they received and their sales, as well as a business report covering their management style, capital, etc.