August 20, 2026 Consultation with the Information and Communications Council on Measures to Ensure the Stable and Sustainable Operation of the Postal Business, and the Provision of Services to Enable Post Offices to Fulfill Their Role in Supporting Local Communities

　Today, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) consulted the Information and Communications Council (Chair: ENDO Nobuhiro, Special Advisor to NEC Corporation) on “Measures to Ensure the Stable and Sustainable Operation of the Postal Business, and the Provision of Services to Enable Post Offices to Fulfill Their Role in Supporting Local Communities.”

1　 Overview and Reasons for the Consultation

　The “Report on the Postage System in Light of Changes in the Business Environment Surrounding the Postal Business” issued by the Information and Communications Council on July 31, 2025, and the Act Partially Amending the Postal Services Privatization Act and Other Acts (Act No. 50 of 2026), enacted in June 2026, call for consideration of measures to ensure the stable and sustainable operation of the postal business, taking into account changes in the socioeconomic circumstances surrounding the postal business. In addition, the Act adds “basic service provision operations” to the principal business of Japan Post Co., Ltd., thereby calling for post offices to play an even greater role in supporting local communities.

　The Japan Post Group is also requesting a review of service levels to ensure the sustainable provision of postal services, as part of the review of its business structure set out in its medium-term management plan announced in May 2026. At the same time, the Group aims to fulfill its role as a life-support hub that supports local communities by maintaining local infrastructure functions in accordance with the needs of local communities and providing services that support customers’ lives in accordance with their needs and life stages.

　Against this backdrop, MIC consulted the Information and Communications Council on “Measures to Ensure the Stable and Sustainable Operation of the Postal Business, and the Provision of Services to Enable Post Offices to Fulfill Their Role in Supporting Local Communities.”

2　 Matters to be reported

• (1) Measures to Ensure the Stable and Sustainable Operation of the Postal Business
  • ・The provision of postal services in light of users’ needs
  • ・Challenges in maintaining the postal network in the future and measures to address them
• (2) The Provision of Services to Enable Post Offices to Fulfill Their Role in Supporting Local Communities
  • ・Types of services that support the lives of local residents and are expected to be provided through post offices
  • ・The provision and promotion of such services
• (3) Other matters considered necessary

3　 Expected time of response

　Around the summer of 2027