Business integration delays parcel deliveries by Japan Post Service

TOKYO, July 4 Kyodo -
Japan Post Service Co.'s parcel delivery operations have been disrupted since
Thursday's integration with services run by trucking firm Nippon Express Co.,
which significantly boosted the number of parcels handled by the mail arm of
government-owned Japan Post Holdings Co.
Japan Post Service said deliveries of around 260,000 of its Yu-Pack parcels
have been delayed in the four-day period to Sunday and it is expected to take
at least a few days before operations return to normal.
The company added it has seen delays of between half a day and two days for
around 66,000 of the roughly 950,000 parcels originally scheduled for delivery
by the end of Sunday.
''Employees' lack of familiarity (with the new operations) was the biggest
cause'' of the confusion, said Japan Post Service President Shinichi Nabekura,
offering an apology to customers at a press conference.
There are continuing delays in deliveries being handled by post service centers
in Chiba, Aichi and Osaka prefectures, according to the company.
The trouble occurred at a maximum of around 10 delivery centers, including one
in Tokyo, after the Yu-Pack services were integrated with Nippon Express'
Pelican parcel delivery operations on Thursday, it said.
==Kyodo