Nippon Express Co. has agreed to cooperate with Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. in shipping Japanese products to China, company officials said Tuesday.

Under the deal, Nippon Express will transport goods by air for Japanese firms doing business on Alibaba's Tmall Global online mall, while home delivery in China will be handled by Alibaba, the officials said.

It has set rates at around 30 percent cheaper than rival Japan Post Network Co.

The move comes as Chinese tourists increasingly flock to Japan for spending sprees on a variety of consumer goods such as pharmaceutical, cosmetic and electronic products.

Nippon Express is hoping to capitalize on the growing popularity of online shopping that has emerged from this trend.

Nippon Express will also deal with customs in China on behalf of Japanese exporters, the officials said.