CJ Logistics Partners Rakuten for Japan Market Entry

Seoul, South Korea - CJ Logistics Corp said it has established a partnership with Japanese e-commerce platform Rakuten Ichiba to provide logistics services for Korean companies selling in Japan's online retail market.

The logistics company held a seminar for 70 Korean beauty and health supplement sellers and brand representatives at its Seoul training center to present the arrangement.

The partnership involves three companies: CJ Logistics handles logistics operations, Rakuten Ichiba manages account setup and product registration, and Transcosmos, a business process outsourcing firm, provides marketing services.

CJ Logistics operates three fulfillment centers in Japan located in Saitama Prefecture, Gunma Prefecture, and Osaka Prefecture.

The facilities span 23,000 square meters and hold permits for handling cosmetics and quasi-pharmaceutical products as required under Japanese pharmaceutical regulations.

The company stated that delivery times from these centers are one to two days shorter than those for shipments sent directly from Korea.

Products stored at the centers undergo packaging and shipping processes following orders placed through the platform.

CJ Logistics provides services including domestic Korean logistics, international transport, and Japanese fulfillment operations.

The company operates a system that connects Rakuten order information with fulfillment center inventory data.

Korean sellers can distribute products through business-to-consumer sales and business-to-business channels to Japanese retailers and distributors.

The logistics services cover export customs procedures, air transport, and Japanese import clearance processes.

Rakuten operates with more than 100 million member accounts, according to CJ Logistics.

The company previously established a partnership with TikTok's commerce platform offering similar logistics services.

Jang Young-ho, head of CJ Logistics' International Forwarding Services division, stated that the company plans to utilize its cooperation with Rakuten and cross-border logistics capabilities to support Korean sellers entering the Japanese market.

He said CJ Logistics aims to expand partnerships with global platforms and develop logistics solutions tailored for different markets.