Tokyo: A joint venture between Yamato Holdings and Fujitsu will introduce an open platform from February 2025, enabling shared delivery networks using the physical internet concept to cut emissions by 42% and labour costs by 65%, transforming Japan’s logistics industry with collaborative supply chains.
Sustainable Shared Transport Inc. (SST), a joint venture established by Yamato Holdings Co., Ltd. and Fujitsu Limited, is pioneering a new era in Japan’s logistics industry by launching an open platform designed to foster sustainable, efficient, and collaborative supply chains. Starting February 2025, this innovative system aims to dismantle traditional logistics silos, enabling goods to flow seamlessly across shared delivery networks that transcend company and industry boundaries.
At the heart of SST’s vision lies the concept of the “physical internet,” a transformative approach that applies the packet-switching principle of digital data networks to the movement of goods. By facilitating standardized pallet transportation and shared relay points with real-time data access, SST seeks to optimize resource use, reduce redundancy, and enhance the resilience of logistics operations. This model allows multiple companies to pool transportation capacity and warehouse resources, thus addressing critical industry challenges such as labour shortages and capacity constraints.
Japan’s government has actively championed this approach through its ‘Physical Internet Roadmap,’ encouraging the logistics sector to improve resource utilisation by promoting shared infrastructure and collaborative transportation efforts. Complementing this vision, innovations such as the ‘NeLOSS’ system developed by Next Logistics Japan employ quantum computing to automate cargo allocation and loading, further reducing manual handling and boosting efficiency within shared networks.
Fujitsu and Yamato’s joint venture articulates ambitious targets, projecting a 42% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and a 65% decrease in labour costs by the end of fiscal 2025. These goals underscore a sophisticated blend of environmental responsibility and operational optimisation. Fujitsu, in particular, has committed 50 million yen investment into SST and will itself utilise the platform as a shipper, signalling a strong endorsement of the collaborative logistics framework.
The open platform’s design supports end-to-end transport optimisation by integrating data from various partners and establishing relay points along delivery routes. This structure is intended to facilitate dynamic matching of shippers with logistics providers, primarily targeting trunk transport segments where consolidation yields the greatest efficiency gains.
This initiative is built on Yamato’s longstanding heritage of innovation in logistics, which dates back to its founding in 1976. Historically, Yamato combined a ‘personal-touch’ service approach with digitalisation to create competitive advantages and societal value. SST represents the next evolution, scaling this co-creative ethos into a wider industry ecosystem through open collaboration.
Industry watchers view SST as a significant step toward resolving systemic logistics challenges faced globally, such as those brought about by climate change, labour shortages, and increasing freight demand. By fostering “co-creation” among diverse stakeholders—sharing data, resources, and capabilities—SST encapsulates a forward-looking framework poised to reshape supply chains for enhanced sustainability and resilience in Japan and potentially serve as a model for global replication.
Source: Noah Wire Services
