The transport ministry issued Wednesday a notice to suspend 111 post offices across the country from using mini cargo vehicles for delivery services for up to 160 days from Oct. 8, due to their failure to properly conduct roll calls, including mandatory alcohol checks, for drivers.

The ministry is expected to slap a similar suspension on some 2,000 post offices in total in the country's 47 prefectures by March next year. The latest action follows the ministry's move to revoke a permit for Japan Post's truck operations in June over such law violations.

The ministry announced in April that it detected violations at about 2,400 offices, which account for around 75% of post offices undertaking mail and parcel delivery operations.

The initial round of the mini cargo vehicle suspension will affect 188 units, with as many as seven units each at the Fukagawa office in Tokyo and the Onomichi office in Hiroshima Prefecture taken out of service for half a month, and one each at 11 other offices, such as Hokkaido's Hidaka office and Shizuoka Prefecture's Yugashima office, being suspended for 160 days.

Nine offices, including the Tayama office in Iwate Prefecture and the Hayakawa office in Toyama Prefecture, will be prohibited from using the sole vehicle they each have.

To cope with the situation, Japan Post is likely to outsource delivery services while having unaffected neighboring post offices give support to those affected by the suspension.

After receiving the notice at the ministry's Tokyo branch, Japan Post Executive Officer Yoshihiro Gomi said, "Taking it seriously, we will make utmost effort to regain public trust."