Japan Post Service Co. is lagging on parcel deliveries because the merger of its delivery operations with Nippon Express Co. last week has overwhelmed it with packages.
The mail arm of government-owned Japan Post Holdings Co., said that around 260,000 of its Yu-Pack parcels had been delayed between Thursday, when integration took place, and Sunday. The merger integrated Yu-Pack services with Nippon Express' Pelican parcel delivery operations.
The company said deliveries probably won't return to normal for at least a few days.
Around 66,000 of the roughly 950,000 parcels originally scheduled for delivery by the end of Sunday were delayed by between half a day and two days, the company said.
"Employees' lack of familiarity (with the new operations) was the biggest cause" of the confusion, said Japan Post Service President Shinichi Nabekura, who apologized for the delays at a press conference.
Most of the delayed parcels appear to be coming from postal service centers in Chiba, Aichi and Osaka prefectures, the company said, adding that only about 10 delivery centers, including one in Tokyo, were affected.