Market Trends of Japan Third-Party Logistics (3PL) Industry
Growth in automotive and manufacturing sector driving the market
Japan has always been and is one of the global leaders in the manufacturing machinery and automobile industries. The Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) says that high-tech manufacturing is one of Japan's most important growth sectors. The core areas in Japan's manufacturing sector are consumer electronics, automobile manufacturing, semiconductor manufacturing, optical fibers, optoelectronics, optical media, steel and iron, and copy machines.
Since a long time ago, Japan has been one of the top exporters of cars in the world. It is known for its high-quality manufacturing and efficient logistics services. Its highly developed infrastructure and port network support its status as an exporting giant, as do its dense concentration of shipping lines.
Some of the major players in the automotive industry in Japan also have in-house logistics arms. Vantec, a leading automotive logistics provider in Japan, operates under the HTS Group. The Vantec Group supports the sequential supply of auto parts in full alignment with the complex logistics requirements of automotive manufacturers.
As per Hino Motors, the future mobility society to be considered is represented by the word "SPACE". "Shared (sharing of movement, space, and time)" "Platform (corresponding to various services freely) and "Autonomous (free from driving)" "Connected (connecting mobility with people, things, and cities)" "Electricity" (increase efficiency and flexibility).
Development in cold chain logistics
Japan is the second-fastest-growing mature pharmaceutical market in the world, following the United States. The international interest in the Japanese pharmaceutical market will create opportunities for cold chain logistics service providers. The companies in the country are heavily improving and updating their services through deals, partnerships, and agreements with competitors and companies that provide platform services to the 3PL companies.
The cold chain market is also known for the amount of energy required in the process and the huge amount of emissions that occur. The companies are setting up logistics centers and transforming vehicles into ones that are environment-friendly, produce minimum emissions, and run on sustainable sources of energy.
The Government of Japan and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) gave three refrigerated vans to the Ministry of Health and SAMES on February 20, 2022. These vans will be used to move vaccines.At the SAMES compound in Dili, Masami Kinefuchi, the Japanese ambassador to Timor-Leste, and Ainhoa Jaureguibeitia, the deputy UNICEF representative, gave the vehicles to Sr. Bonifacio Maucoli dos Reis, the vice minister of health.
Moreover, walk-in cool rooms have been provided and are currently being installed at all regional warehouses in the municipalities of Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro, and the Special Administrative Area of Oecusse. It is important to have refrigerated vans, walk-in coolers, and freezer rooms with all of their parts so that vaccines can be kept safely and quickly sent to towns and medical facilities.
