Starting from October 1, 2024, Japan's postal rates are set to undergo a substantial increase for the first time in nearly 30 years. Excluding consumption tax, this revision marks the first change since 1994, affecting ordinary postage for items like letters and postcards that we frequently use.
For instance, a letter weighing up to 25 grams, which previously cost 84 yen, will now be priced at 110 yen. Similarly, the cost of a postcard will rise from 63 yen to 85 yen. Rates for express mail and letter packs are also expected to increase.
The reasons behind this price hike include rising fuel costs and labor costs, as well as a decline in postal usage due to the prevalence of email and social media. In 2001, approximately 26.2 billion pieces of mail were sent, but by 2022, this number had decreased to 14.4 billion. As a result of these changes, companies are likely to further progress in digitization to manage increased mailing costs.