--- title: "Delivery in Japan: Beating a Culture of Overwork with Last-Mile Excellence" id: "8823" type: "post" slug: "last-mile-excellence-beat-delivery-overwork-japan" published_at: "2022-07-13T06:15:44+00:00" modified_at: "2025-08-18T19:56:06+00:00" url: "https://locus.sh/blogs/last-mile-excellence-beat-delivery-overwork-japan/" markdown_url: "https://locus.sh/blogs/last-mile-excellence-beat-delivery-overwork-japan.md" excerpt: "Locus’ Dispatch Management Platform helps Japan’s delivery agents to get more deliveries made in a standard working shift by automating their operations." taxonomy_category: - "Last Mile Delivery Optimization" taxonomy_post_tag: - "Delivery Constraints" - "Delivery Fulfilment" - "Last-mile Delivery" - "Last-mile Delivery Challenges" - "Logistics Automation" --- #### [Last Mile Delivery Optimization](https://locus.sh/blogs/category/last-mile-delivery-optimization/) # Delivery in Japan: Beating a Culture of Overwork with Last-Mile Excellence [Mrinalini Khattar](/author/mrinalini/) Jul 13, 2022 5 mins read ## Key Takeaways - Japan faces a critical labor shortage in logistics, with predictions showing a 35% gap between delivery demand and workforce capacity by 2030, threatening one-third of cargo deliveries. - The combination of an aging population (25% over 65) and declining workforce availability creates urgent pressure to modernize last-mile delivery operations in Japan. - Japanese delivery workers are experiencing severe burnout from excessive overtime and high service expectations, leading to the formation of worker unions and safety concerns. - Locus’s Dispatch Management Platform helps Japanese logistics companies combat workforce challenges through automated routing, intelligent parcel sorting, and precise geocoding for aging drivers. Japan’s work ethic is something of a legend. The country built its economy after World War II in a short span of 20 years and has earned the reputation for being hard-working, with loyal employees who silently focus on their tasks and take very few breaks between work. The concepts of [ganbaru](https://thejapaneseway.com/japanese-work-ethic/) , which literally translates to ‘stand firm’, and [gaman](https://thejapaneseway.com/japanese-work-ethic/) , which means ‘enduring the seemingly unbearable with patience and dignity’, are entwined with the country’s outlook towards work and drive [67.35 million people](https://www.statista.com/statistics/270160/employment-in-japan/) to bring excellence to their jobs daily. But there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. In spite of Japan’s [Labour Standards Act](https://knowledge.leglobal.org/working-conditions-in-japan/) , which states the statutory working hours to be eight hours per day and 40 hours per week, it is not unusual for Japanese employees to work overtime. ## **Rising expectations** When it comes to [last-mile logistics](https://locus.sh/use-cases/last-mile-delivery-routing/) , the way this outlook plays into Japan’s delivery agents’ work is concerning. As the coronavirus waves continue, online delivery remains popular and the pressure on delivery agents to execute timely deliveries grows steadily. Add to this the fact that the nation has high expectations from customer service and hospitality, so consumers notice even the slightest delays in delivery. The recent news of[Japanese delivery drivers forming a union](https://japantoday.com/category/business/amazon-japan-delivery-drivers-form-union-claiming-overwork) , claiming overwork, is not surprising then. The workers who make deliveries in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, said in a press conference in Tokyo that they had been overworked to the point of exhaustion. The union was formed by a 50-year-old delivery executive who was fatigued from making deliveries, only to meet with an accident. ## **Japan’s labor shortage and a hyper-aging population** The shrinking population is a long-standing issue in Japan—one that clouds over the country’s [economy](https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/labour-shortages-japan-overshadow-economic-recovery) and can impact its recovery. The pandemic also resulted in a sharp decline in the number of foreign workers and that has added to the shortage. According to a [McKinsey report,](https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/locations/asia/japan/our%20insights/future%20of%20work%20in%20japan/the-future-of-work-in-japan_v4_en.pdf) even with automation and expanding labor-force participation, Japan is likely to face a shortage of 1.5 million workers by the year 2030. Japan is also the world’s oldest country with a hyper-aging population. [25% of its people are 65 years or olde](https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/asia-pacific/japan-lessons-from-a-hyperaging-society) r and this number is said to increase to [36% by the year 2040](https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/asia-pacific/japan-lessons-from-a-hyperaging-society) . As a result, industry analysts have also predicted that by 2030, there will be a [35% gap](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/backstories/1771/) between demand for delivery and the size of the logistics labor force. This means that one-third of cargo in Japan would go undelivered. Human resource is not the only challenge for corporations. In light of Japan’s labor shortage, if seniors continue working, then a safe and comfortable environment must be ensured. ## **Automating the future** The pressure on [last-mile delivery](https://locus.sh/blogs/what-is-last-mile-delivery/) businesses is immense and better technology and efficiency levers are the need of the hour. The great news is that Japan’s automation potential is immense. According to this [McKinsey report,](https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/locations/asia/japan/our%20insights/future%20of%20work%20in%20japan/the-future-of-work-in-japan_v4_en.pdf) more than half of work time in Japan is spent on repetitive activities, two-thirds of which can be automated. If you’re a business in Japan committed to growth, enhancing your digital capabilities will help drive change from the top. This means learning about the [implications of digitalization](https://locus.sh/blogs/four-ways-b2b-e-commerce-revolutionized-by-digitalization/) , machine learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for your business. [Automating your supply chains](https://locus.sh/blogs/minimize-your-delivery-complexities-using-logistics-automation/) will smooth out and quicken last-mile processes and help you meet the demand for speedy deliveries. ## **Sustained growth in the last mile with Locus** [Locus’ Dispatch Management Platform](https://locus.sh/blogs/dispatch-management-platform-for-last-mile/) (DMP) helps organizations drive real-world efficiency and grow across all fulfillment channels. It automates key fulfillment stages, from the time the order is placed to the time of delivery and acts as the single source of truth for all orders, channels, and on-ground units: so that nothing is lost in translation. [Dispatch Management Software](https://locus.sh/dispatch-management-software/) ’s advanced algorithms allow you to dispatch orders of any scale, keeping in mind real-world constraints. An intelligent parcel sorting system helps drivers get on the road faster and make deliveries on time so that no extra hours are spent on the road. Precise geo-coordinates make sure route plans are accurate. The DMP’s geocoding feature is particularly beneficial for aging drivers on the road who are more prone to accidents. Not only does Locus DMP help you maintain a bird’s eye view of supply chain processes, but it also makes each delivery better than the last. As e-commerce and e-grocery industries grow in Japan, the hardworking Japanese workforce that powers this growth cannot be neglected. By automating their operations, Japanese employers can ensure their workers get more deliveries made in a standard working shift, which can prevent overwork and burnout as well as retrain them to deliver more value in other areas. **Looking to make your delivery experience simple and more efficient? Try a demo with Locus!** [Schedule Demo](https://locus.sh/delivery-experience/#schedule-demo) > [How Japanese E-commerce Brands Can Overcome the Challenges in Last-Mile Deliveries](https://locus.sh/blogs/how-technology-solves-japan-last-mile-delivery-challenges/) MEET THE AUTHOR Mrinalini Khattar Mrinalini is an editor and writer at Locus. She reads whatever she can get her hands on and, more often than not, it happens to be Harry Potter. ### Related Tags: [Delivery Constraints](https://locus.sh/blogs/tagged/delivery-constraints/) [Delivery Fulfilment](https://locus.sh/blogs/tagged/delivery-fulfilment/) [Last-mile Delivery](https://locus.sh/blogs/tagged/last-mile-delivery/) [Last-mile Delivery Challenges](https://locus.sh/blogs/tagged/last-mile-delivery-challenges/) [Logistics Automation](https://locus.sh/blogs/tagged/logistics-automation/) [https://locus.sh/blogs/ceo-insights-on-logistics-industry-opportunities/](https://locus.sh/blogs/ceo-insights-on-logistics-industry-opportunities/) #### [Supply Chain Optimization](https://locus.sh/blogs/category/supply-chain-optimization/) ## [From the CEO’s Desk: Moving Beyond The New Normal to New Opportunities](https://locus.sh/blogs/ceo-insights-on-logistics-industry-opportunities/) [Nishith Rastogi, Founder & CEO, Locus](https://locus.sh/blogs/author/nishith-rastogi/) Jun 29, 2022 Locus CEO, Nishith Rastogi met leaders and experts during Gartner Supply Chain Symposium/Xpo and shared his insights on logistics industry opportunities. [Read more](https://locus.sh/blogs/ceo-insights-on-logistics-industry-opportunities/) [https://locus.sh/blogs/emerging-trends-around-last-mile-delivery-fulfillment-models/](https://locus.sh/blogs/emerging-trends-around-last-mile-delivery-fulfillment-models/) #### [Last Mile Delivery Optimization](https://locus.sh/blogs/category/last-mile-delivery-optimization/) ## [Emerging Trends Around Last-Mile Delivery Fulfillment Models 2022](https://locus.sh/blogs/emerging-trends-around-last-mile-delivery-fulfillment-models/) [Lakshmi D](https://locus.sh/blogs/author/lakshmilocussh/) Aug 2, 2022 Key Takeaways “When Henry Ford made cheap, reliable cars, people said ‘nah, what’s wrong with the horse?’ That was a huge bet he made, and it worked.” – Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, SpaceX and the Boring Company. Elon Musk, the man known for his crazy, game-changing tech ideas, is right. 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