Faced with intensifying competition from parcel delivery companies, the Posts and Telecommunications Ministry announced Monday that state-run postal services will begin night delivery services of parcel and express letters on holidays and Sundays, starting Oct. 1.
Parcel and express delivery services now end at 5 p.m. on holidays and Sunday, except for the Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya areas.
The services will be extended to around 9 p.m. across the country, which will cost the ministry 800 million yen more, mainly due to increases in labor costs, ministry officials said.