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Rakuten, Japan Post Launch Rural Shopping Service Trial in Shizuoka
Photo by Rui Hao Lim / Unsplash

Rakuten, Japan Post Launch Rural Shopping Service Trial in Shizuoka

Philip Lee profile image
by Philip Lee

Tokyo, Japan—Rakuten Group Inc., Japan Post Co Ltd., and Takara MC Inc. have announced plans to launch a joint shopping support service trial in rural Shizuoka Prefecture. 

The service will target areas where residents encounter difficulties accessing retail stores.

The pilot program, which will serve the Okushizu region of Shizuoka City, is scheduled to commence on November 5th and conclude six months later. 

The objective is to integrate Rakuten's extensive supermarket platform with Japan Post's reliable delivery network to enhance shopping accessibility for local residents.

The service will utilize Japan Post's "Otagai Market" membership platform and Rakuten's "Rakuten Zenkoku Super" (Rakuten Nationwide Supermarket) platform. Products will be provided by Takara MC's "Food Market MUM" online supermarket.

Japan Post will utilize its existing postal delivery infrastructure to facilitate the transportation of goods from the nearest post office to designated collection points in Okushizu. 

The service's objective is to enhance efficiency by consolidating multiple orders for delivery to designated collection points.

Users will be charged a monthly fee of 990 yen for the Otagai Market service. Delivery charges are 220 yen for orders exceeding 5,500 yen and 440 yen for smaller orders. Same-day delivery is available for orders placed before 8:00 a.m. 

The trial is scheduled to conclude on April 30, 2025. Rakuten and Japan Post intend to utilize the insights gained from this pilot scheme to inform the development of analogous services for other remote areas of Japan similarly affected by challenges in accessing retail outlets.

The initiative is designed to assist elderly residents who cannot drive and parents constrained by the lack of convenient access to supermarkets and limited transportation options in their communities.

Philip Lee profile image
by Philip Lee

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