October 1, 2025

Examining modal shift in Japan's logistics

Key Points

A significant reduction in CO2 emissions is achievable through a modal shift in transportation methods, and it could help address the labor shortage in the trucking industry.
Comparative analysis of transportation modes indicated that effective modal shifts could significantly improve the efficiency of logistics solutions in Japan.
Challenges in the Japanese logistics sector include labor shortages, rising CO2 emissions from trucks, and increased demand due to e-commerce growth.
The study highlights the importance of considering distance, time, and costs in choosing transportation methods for total cargo volume.

Abstract

The current Japanese distribution industry is confronting difficulties that can be divided broadly into three categories. The first include those related to the shortage of truck drivers (labor shortages). The second category includes difficulties related to the CO2 emissions of trucks (environmental load). The last are difficulties related to a rapid increase in home-delivery services caused by the growth of e-commerce markets. In response to all of these difficulties, a modal shift from trunk cargo transportation that uses trucks to railroad or maritime transportation is important. Therefore, a comparative analysis of the characteristics of intercity truck, rail and vessel transportation in the total cargo volume of Japan conducted for this study is performed from the perspective of three factors including distance, time required and fares, with discussion of effective modes of transportation (modal shift).

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