ＮＸ総合研究所 List of Products and Services

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has established the Business Vehicle Health-Related Accident Prevention Council since the fiscal year 2015 to prevent health-related accidents involving business vehicles. Are you aware that they are publishing materials that provide information on the number of health-related accidents and the status of various countermeasures? The significant danger of health issues arising for drivers while operating business vehicles, especially since public roads are their workplace, is clearer than seeing fire. Recently, we frequently hear news about traffic accidents caused by elderly drivers mistakenly pressing the accelerator instead of the brake. Such accidents can be somewhat mitigated by installing devices (systems) that suppress acceleration during pedal misapplication. However, preventing accidents caused by sudden physical changes is complex due to the nature of health impairments and the level of medical conditions, making it challenging to implement accident prevention measures through systems. *For more details about the blog, you can view it through the related links. Please feel free to contact us for more information.

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Recently, we are encountering newspaper articles and news reports about rising prices almost every day. The impact on households is significant, but the effect on businesses is also considerable. Naturally, the logistics industry is directly and severely affected. Tokyo Shoko Research Co., Ltd. published information on corporate bankruptcies for the year 2022 (January to December) on January 16, 2023, under the headline "Bankruptcies in the Road Freight Transport Industry Surge Over 40% Year-on-Year, with a Quarter Due to Rising Fuel Costs and Other Price Increases." In the case of the road freight transport industry, it is easy for anyone to imagine that the rise in fuel costs (prices of diesel and gasoline) is directly linked to increased costs. Regarding crude oil, which is the source of fuel, prices continue to soar and remain high due to various factors, including OPEC's decision to maintain production levels amid rising crude oil demand, international situations such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the depreciation of the yen in foreign exchange markets. *For more detailed information, you can view it through the related links. Please feel free to contact us for more details.

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

Congratulations to everyone who became new members of society in April. To those who have chosen to dive into the logistics industry among many sectors, I would like to share what it is like to work at a logistics company, drawing from my own experiences. I hope this blog can provide some useful insights. While my focus is primarily on international logistics from the 1980s to the 2010s, I hope it can serve as a reference for your future professional life. *You can view the detailed content of the blog through the related links. Please feel free to contact us for more information.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

The revised edition of our "Economic and Freight Transport Outlook," which we publish quarterly, was announced on April 5, 2023. This revised edition updates the previous outlook published in January 2023, taking into account subsequently released statistics, actual results, and new trends, and revises the scenarios and forecast values (freight transport volume and year-on-year growth rate). The published materials are available on our company website, but in this article, we will organize and provide supplementary explanations regarding the changes and noteworthy points in the outlook for international freight transport volume from Japan (foreign trade containers and international air transport) compared to the previous forecast. *Details of the blog can be viewed through the related links. For more information, please feel free to contact us.

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

Time flies, and we are already halfway through this year, with the season transitioning into the rainy season and then summer. Although discussing fire incidents during this time may seem out of sync with the season, it is essential to implement year-round fire prevention measures for warehouse facilities, which are crucial for logistics. When it comes to warehouse fires, those that cause significant damage or occur in large-scale warehouses tend to receive extensive media coverage. However, it seems that other types of fires are not reported as frequently. One notable large-scale warehouse fire occurred in February 2017 in Miyoshi Town, Iruma District, Saitama Prefecture, where approximately 45,000 square meters of a warehouse with a total floor area of about 70,000 square meters burned, taking about 12 days to extinguish. *For more details on the blog, please refer to the related links. Feel free to contact us for further information.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

When you search for "logistics consultant" online, it is described as "an expert who works on improving a company's logistics system and optimizing business processes." Specifically, you can find keywords such as formulating logistics strategies, improving warehouse and delivery systems, optimizing inventory management, reducing transportation costs, contributing to business improvement, and project management. However, it may be difficult to imagine what kind of work logistics consultants actually do. Therefore, this time we interviewed a senior consultant to discuss the work of logistics consultants. *For more detailed content of the blog, you can view it through the related links. Please feel free to contact us for more information.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

Three years have passed since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) began in 2020. In the fourth year, 2023, starting from May 8, the classification of COVID-19 under the Infectious Diseases Control Law will transition to "Category 5," the same as seasonal influenza, and there are expectations for an acceleration and full-scale recovery to the "pre-COVID" state. In this post, we will analyze the impact of COVID-19 on the movement of international air cargo and external trade containers (shipping) originating from and destined for Japan during the three years of the pandemic, as well as the recovery trends compared to pre-COVID levels, using two indicators: the year-on-year growth rate and the growth rate compared to pre-COVID (2019) levels, organized and analyzed in a time series. *For more detailed content of the blog, please refer to the related links. Feel free to contact us for more information.

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

In the last week of April, there were daily reports about the evacuation from Sudan, Khartoum, where the fighting had intensified. Additionally, North Korea's missile launches continued unabated, and when the J-Alert was notified on my smartphone in April, it reminded me of the air raid sirens I heard 37 years ago in Baghdad. During my stay in Iraq from February 1986 to February 1987, it was the sixth year of the Iran-Iraq War, and both countries were running low on war funds due to the prolonged conflict. The fighting consisted mainly of small-scale skirmishes along the border, and there were missile attacks on the capital, Baghdad, about once a week. *For more details about the blog, you can view it through the related link. Please feel free to contact us for more information.*

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From the perspective of the SDGs, many companies are undertaking decarbonization efforts to reduce CO2 emissions, which are said to be a cause of global warming. In the logistics industry, there is an increasing number of companies promoting modal shifts (the transition of transportation methods) from truck-based freight transport to more environmentally friendly modes such as rail and maritime transport. In this modal shift, the CO2 emissions from transporting 1 ton of cargo over 1 km are approximately one-sixth for ships and about one-eleventh for rail compared to trucks, indicating that switching to rail transport is particularly effective as a measure against environmental issues. This background has led to a growing demand for rail freight transport in recent years. The Railway Freight Association, established in 1950, is a public interest incorporated association under the jurisdiction of the Cabinet Office, engaged in various activities (research, studies, promotion, and awareness) to promote the use of rail freight. Each year, it conducts research and studies to enhance the convenience and safety of rail freight transport based on a set theme. This time, we will introduce a temperature and humidity survey conducted during transport between Osaka and Sapporo, in which our company is cooperating. *For more details about the blog, please refer to the related links. For further inquiries, feel free to contact us.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

Diversity refers to the concept of accepting differences in race, gender, preferences, values, beliefs, and more, and striving to realize the potential of diverse human resources. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry defines diversity management as "management that creates innovation and leads to value creation by utilizing diverse human resources and providing opportunities for their abilities to be maximally demonstrated." It states that "the active participation of diverse human resources is essential for the sustainable growth of the Japanese economy, as it helps secure talent in the context of a declining birthrate and aging population, and enhances the ability to respond to diversifying market needs and risks." "Diverse human resources" include not only gender, age, race, nationality, disability status, sexual orientation, religion and beliefs, and values, but also diversity related to career, experience, and work styles. *For more details, please refer to the related links. For further inquiries, feel free to contact us.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

The muggy heat of the rainy season continues, but I hope everyone is doing well. In this article, I will report from my unique perspective on what I realized while returning to my hometown in Vietnam in May 2023, after gaining experience studying in Japan and learning about logistics. On July 20, 2004, Tokyo recorded its highest temperature ever at 39.5°C. This record high in Tokyo is a normal summer day in my hometown (Quang Tri Province in central Vietnam). When I returned in May, the temperature was over 39°C. At that time, Japan was around 20°C, so I was a bit surprised, but it was a new experience. Now, let me introduce my first and second days back home. *You can view the detailed content of the blog through the related links. For more information, please feel free to contact us.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

The revised edition of our "Economic and Freight Transport Outlook," which we publish regularly four times a year, was announced on July 7, 2023. This revised edition updates the previous outlook published in April 2023, taking into account subsequently released statistics, actual results, and new trends to reassess the scenarios and forecast values (freight transport volume and year-on-year growth rate). The published materials are available on our company website, but in this article, we will organize and provide supplementary explanations regarding the changes and noteworthy points in the outlook for international freight transport volume (foreign trade containers and international air) departing from and arriving in Japan compared to the previous forecast. *For detailed content of the blog, please refer to the related links. For more information, feel free to contact us.

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

One thing that is unimaginable in peaceful Japan is that in socialist countries, countries with high conflict risks, and countries at war, it is prohibited to take photographs of military bases, as well as important infrastructure such as airports, ports, bridges, and dams. At the Vostochny Port in Russia, border guards (KGB = Soviet Committee for State Security, which includes intelligence agencies and border guards) stand guard with Kalashnikov rifles slung over their shoulders under the gangway of a moored vessel, and I was warned by an agency representative that if I carelessly took photos of the port, I could be shot. *For more details about the blog, please refer to the related links. Feel free to contact us for more information.

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Most of the freight transportation, which is at the core of logistics and utilizes internal combustion engines that emit a lot of CO2, seems to lead many logistics-related companies in Japan to place too much emphasis on SDG Goal 7, "Affordable and Clean Energy," and Goal 13, "Climate Action." However, when we turn our attention to the urgent issue of the "2024 Problem" in logistics that Japan must overcome, we should realize that there are many other goals that deserve more attention. In this series, we would like to focus on SDG goals that are often overlooked but are extremely important for the sustainability of Japan's logistics and are essential for fundamentally solving the "2024 Problem" in logistics. *For more details, please refer to the related links. Feel free to contact us for more information.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

To effectively harness the power of ChatGPT, it is essential to write a "good prompt." A prompt refers to the words used to instruct or ask ChatGPT to do something. Therefore, a "good prompt" can be described as "skillful instructions or questions." The importance of a "good prompt" is akin to the idea that providing clear instructions is crucial for getting a talented new employee to perform their tasks accurately and achieve the desired results. In this blog, I will introduce three key points to keep in mind for giving effective instructions to ChatGPT. These are: providing specific instructions, clarifying the instructions, and supplying reference information to ChatGPT. By considering these three points while utilizing ChatGPT, you can expect improvements in operational efficiency, such as problem-solving and service proposals in logistics operations. *For more details, please refer to the related links. Feel free to contact us for further inquiries.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

I participated in LogiMAT 2023 held in Stuttgart, Germany, in April 2023. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it had been four years since I attended an overseas material handling and robotics-related event. Recently, many exhibition events have been held in a hybrid format, combining physical venues with online participation. After several years of only attending online events, I was eager to experience a large-scale exhibition in person, so I left the country with high expectations. Perhaps because it had been a while since my last overseas business trip, the travel time on the flight to Europe felt extremely long. Additionally, due to restrictions on flying over Russia, the route took me northeast from Japan, crossing the Bering Sea to Europe, resulting in a journey that lasted about 15 hours, which may have made the trip feel even longer. It was also my first experience crossing the International Date Line to go to Europe. (On the return flight, I also crossed over the North Pole for the first time.) *For more details, you can view the blog through the related link. Please feel free to contact us for more information.

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

The series "Logistics '2024 Problem' from the Perspective of SDGs I" focuses on "the potential emergence of a relatively impoverished class in Japan's logistics industry" and "the management conditions of freight transport operators that have not improved significantly," discussing the challenges Japan must overcome in relation to the "2024 Problem" from the perspective of the SDGs. This article will address the transactional relationships between logistics operators and shippers, as well as the trends of standardization and digitalization, and will continue to discuss the challenges of the "2024 Problem" from the perspective of the SDGs. *For more detailed content of the blog, please refer to the related links. For further inquiries, feel free to contact us.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

The "2024 Logistics Problem" has been increasingly mentioned in general newspapers, web articles, and on television lately. However, the correct understanding and specific responses to it are still far from sufficient. Therefore, I would like to take the opportunity to discuss the "2024 Logistics Problem" in several installments. *You can view the detailed content of the blog through the related links. For more information, please feel free to contact us.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

The revised edition of our quarterly report "Economic and Freight Transport Outlook" was published on October 6, 2023. This is the third and final revision for the "Outlook for Fiscal Year 2023." It is the fourth outlook issued in 2023 and will be the last one for this year. Starting from the next outlook, it will focus on the forecasts for Fiscal Year 2024, titled "Outlook for Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024." In this report, we will review and correct the forecast values for external trade containers (maritime transport) and international air transport, as well as the discrepancies with actual values and the rate of increase or decrease compared to pre-COVID levels (Fiscal Year 2019). Additionally, we will organize and elaborate on the key factors for formulating the forecast values for Fiscal Year 2024 and examining the underlying scenarios for the next outlook. *For more detailed content of the blog, please refer to the related links. For further inquiries, feel free to contact us.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

Amazon announced its drone delivery service "Prime Air" in 2013. Ten years have passed since then, and the company is actively advancing drone delivery pilot programs at new bases in California and Texas. In 2023, they started a service to deliver prescription medications via drone within one hour of ordering, free of charge, to specific customers in Texas who have been permitted to install markers at delivery locations. Additionally, Walmart's drone delivery achievements have already exceeded 10,000 deliveries across 36 stores in seven states. With UPS receiving permission from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in September 2023 for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations (long-distance flights without ground monitoring personnel), regulations for "making drone delivery a part of everyday life" are gradually being relaxed in the United States. *For more details, you can view the related links. Please feel free to contact us for more information.

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

When picking up keywords from popular articles in our recent logistics blog, themes such as "2024 issue," "COVID-19 pandemic," "fire prevention measures," "international transportation," "energy conservation," "health-related accidents," "personnel evaluation," "work style reform," "truck freight rates," and "traffic safety measures" emerge, highlighting various pressing topics. Here, we will consider this from a slightly different perspective. How have those working in the logistics industry gained insights on urgent themes and topics of interest? In other words, what methods have traditionally been used to gather information? The conventional approach involved searching for related information scattered across the internet, such as blog articles and news sites. It was likely a "web search" method where insights were gained by taking the time to read and compare numerous articles found through searches. *For more detailed content from the blog, please refer to the related links. For further inquiries, feel free to contact us.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

For Japanese people, saying "going abroad" feels completely natural, but in continental Europe, one can travel to a foreign country without crossing the sea, as it is connected by land. The experience of crossing land borders, which is impossible in modern Japan, provides a more tangible sense of "this is a different country" compared to the ambiguous crossings by plane or ship. In the UK, which is an island nation, "overseas travel" and "foreign travel" are synonymous, just like for Japanese people. However, in Germany, which has land borders, there is a clear distinction between the two. *You can view the detailed content of the blog through the related links. For more information, please feel free to contact us.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

The movement of people, goods, capital, and services becoming free within the EU has had a significant impact on the logistics industry. Particularly with the introduction of the euro, it has become possible to set optimal locations considering lead times and delivery costs. Major logistics companies in Europe had previously positioned their own distribution centers in optimal locations in each country, but after the introduction of the euro, they began treating multiple countries as a single market. To adopt a flexible system that meets customer demands, they started selling their own distribution center facilities to logistics real estate operators, often real estate companies within their own group, and then re-leasing them under the same conditions as the customer contracts. As a result, when customers requested the relocation of distribution hubs, they were able to respond relatively easily by moving to another location. *For more details, you can view the related links. Please feel free to contact us for more information.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

The 2024 logistics issue in Japan marks the beginning of restrictions on the working hours of logistics workers, prompting various transformations. While there is an active movement towards automation in developed countries, what about developing countries? Japan continues to experience a declining population, and if nothing is done to stop it, the overall labor force in Japan is clearly set to decline. There is already a significant reliance on inbound tourism and foreign workers, and it is necessary to acknowledge diversity while also incorporating automation and labor-saving measures. On the other hand, I would like to know whether the working conditions for logistics workers in countries with growing populations are undergoing similar transformations as in Japan or if they are following a different trend. In this article, I would like to discuss the logistics situation in Thailand, where many Japanese companies have established operations, particularly focusing on transportation. *For more details, please refer to the related links. Feel free to contact us for more information.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

This time, as part of the transportation series (2), I would like to discuss the logistics situation and large trucks from the perspective of inter-company transportation, which is essential in the transportation industry, focusing on the industrial parks near Bangkok. The severe damage caused by the major flood in Thailand in 2011 affected the Ayutthaya to Pathum Thani area (45 minutes to 1.5 hours from Bangkok), which had been the center of industrial parks, leading to an increase in companies relocating their industrial parks to the southern EEC area in Chonburi Province (1 to 2 hours from Bangkok). Cargo transported by ship was previously delivered to the northern region using Bangkok Port, but in the south, the proximity to the sea and the availability of Laem Chabang Port contributed to the rapid development of the EEC area. *For more detailed content of the blog, please refer to the related links. Feel free to contact us for more information.

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

The data analysis approach in logistics is required in various aspects such as inventory management, route optimization, and demand forecasting. However, insights gained from data are essential for its realization. This article focuses on the statistical analysis of logistics data using the programming language Python, examining how data analysis can aid decision-making and improvements in the logistics industry. Specifically, it will explain data processing and statistical analysis examples using Python libraries such as Pandas and NumPy, through case studies using real data. *For more details about the blog, you can view it through the related links. Please feel free to contact us for more information.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

In this blog, I would like to incorporate a more practical approach (such as correlation and multiple regression analysis) to advance the learning of Python and statistics. I will output the correlation between variables from the dataset read using pandas' read.csv() as a heatmap. The value of the correlation coefficient can range from -1 to 1, where a value close to 1 indicates a strong positive correlation, a value close to -1 indicates a strong negative correlation, and a value close to 0 indicates a weak correlation. *For more details about the blog, you can view the related links. Please feel free to contact us for more information.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

On December 26, 2023, we announced the latest version of our quarterly publication "Economic and Freight Transport Outlook" as "Economic and Freight Transport Outlook for FY 2023-2024" (Summary). In this outlook, we are making our first public announcement of the year-on-year growth rate (forecast) for freight transport volume in FY 2024. Additionally, since the actual results for the second half of FY 2023 (October 2023 to March 2024) have not yet been finalized, we are also revising and updating the forecast for FY 2023. The outlook published at the end of 2023 includes only the forecast values and summary tables as a "summary," but we plan to release a full version (complete text) that includes comments and reference charts as soon as it is completed. In this document, we will first organize the forecasts for external trade containers (maritime) and international air transport, including the adjustments from the previous forecast (October 2023), discrepancies with the actual results for the July-September period, and the trends in the year-on-year growth rates compared to pre-COVID levels (FY 2019). *For more detailed content of the blog, please refer to the related links. For further inquiries, please feel free to contact us.

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's Aviation Bureau conducts four statistical surveys as general statistics with the approval of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications: (1) "Air Passenger Movement Survey," (2) "International Air Passenger Movement Survey," (3) "Air Cargo Movement Survey," and (4) "International Air Cargo Movement Survey." Among these, (3) and (4) have been continuously commissioned and conducted by our company. (3) targets domestic air cargo transported to and from Japan, while (4) focuses on export and import air cargo to and from Japan (transshipment cargo transferred in Japan is not included). This article will first clarify the implementation status of the surveys conducted so far, the characteristics and significance of the surveys, and the differences from other air cargo transport-related statistics regarding (4) "International Air Cargo Movement Survey." Next, we will examine the usage trends of "passenger aircraft cargo flights," which were actively operated in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, based on the results of the most recent fiscal years 2022 and 2023 surveys. Finally, we will mention the expected changes in the results of the next survey scheduled for fiscal year 2024. *For detailed content of the blog, please refer to the related links. For more information, feel free to contact us.

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

Our blog started in May 2015 with a post by the then-president titled "Nittsu Research Institute Newsletter - Rojitasu." In that blog, it was mentioned, "The other day, I stopped by an izakaya run by a former professional baseball player. As usual, I started with a beer. The mug I held had the phrase 'You have to swing the bat for hits to be born' printed on it. We swing the bat, but for our readers, it may be difficult to find articles that are truly hits. Could you bear with us a little? Occasionally, there might be a well-hit ball that flies out. We hope you will join us." I don't know how many hits have been made so far, but I have also decided to carry on the spirit of my predecessors. Although I am not very good at writing, I have resolved to write a blog from time to time. This time, I would like to share a self-introduction and reminisce about the air cargo industry during the end of the Showa era, recalling memories that I had almost forgotten. I would be grateful if you could spend some time with me. *For more details about the blog, please refer to the related links. Feel free to contact us for more information.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

Regarding large freight transportation, three laws regulate the specifications to ensure the soundness and safety of each business: the "Road Transport Vehicle Act (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism: Transport Bureau)," the "Road Act (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism: Road Bureau)," and the "Road Traffic Act (National Police Agency)." However, in recent years, under "deregulation," some of the permit conditions (regulatory values) have been relaxed, so I will describe the current situation. Please note that the information on the relaxation status in this article is based on confirmations up to December 2023. It is also possible that further relaxation may occur in the future, necessitating ongoing verification. *You can view the detailed content of the blog through the related links. For more information, please feel free to contact us.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

On December 1, 2023, on the Tohoku Expressway Hachinohe Line in Shirinai Town, Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture, two rear tires from a moving large truck came off and struck a man who was working by the roadside. The man died as a result of this accident, and another person who was working with him was also injured. Additionally, on the day before this accident, November 30, a tire that had fallen off a large truck collided with a pedestrian on a national highway in Shimane Prefecture, resulting in serious injuries to the pedestrian. In response to these successive incidents of wheel detachment, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism issued an urgent directive on December 4 for transportation companies nationwide to conduct a thorough inspection to ensure that the nuts securing the tires were not loose. It goes without saying that the wheels of large vehicles like trucks are large and heavy, and if they detach while in motion, the risk of a serious accident is extremely high. Therefore, urgent action is necessary, and it is only natural that public attention is focused on this issue. *For more details, please refer to the related links. Feel free to contact us for further information.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

In the manufacturing and logistics industries, many factories and warehouses are working on business improvements. The term "improvement" is sometimes used in its English alphabet form, KAIZEN, even overseas, and the reason for this is the representative Japanese company, Toyota Motor Corporation. The globally renowned Toyota Production System, also known as TPS, features well-known concepts such as "Just-in-Time" and "Kanban." The foundation of TPS is a mindset of improvement, and at Toyota, improvement is considered to be at the center of work rather than something done in passing. This article will provide a detailed explanation of "work measurement" and "man-hour management" within this IE methodology. *For more details, you can view the related links. Please feel free to contact us for more information.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

On April 1, 2024 (Reiwa 6), laws and notifications aimed at improving the working conditions of automobile drivers came into effect. Under the work style reform-related laws, the upper limit for overtime work, which is generally set at 720 hours per year, has an exception for automobile driving operations, where the limit is set at 960 hours per year. Automobile driving operations are regarded as having a total of working hours and break times combined as the total working time, as stipulated in the notification commonly referred to as the improvement standards notification. The maximum hours have been established, but starting from April 1, the maximum total working time per day will be reduced from 16 hours to 15 hours, from 293 hours to 284 hours per month, and from 3,516 hours to 3,300 hours per year. *For more details, please refer to the related links on the blog. Feel free to contact us for more information.

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

Finally, the regulations on overtime work in the logistics industry have begun, and the shipping companies, logistics providers, and receiving companies will collaborate to further improve the appropriateness of logistics and enhance productivity. The "Guidelines for Initiatives by Shippers and Logistics Providers for the Appropriateness of Logistics and Productivity Improvement," issued by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in June 2023, particularly require shippers to appoint a person (such as an executive) to oversee and manage logistics operations comprehensively within their organization to implement initiatives for the appropriateness of logistics and productivity improvement. In this article, I would like to clarify the role of the Chief Logistics Officer (CLO) and outline the necessary responses for shippers to ensure the CLO functions effectively. *For more details, please refer to the related links. Feel free to contact us for further inquiries.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

"You often hear about hydrogen energy, but what is it really? Is it useful for a decarbonized society? Will it really become popular? It seems scary, like it could explode." If you have such questions and feelings, this article is for you. As a hydrogen enthusiast who can't stop investing in hydrogen, I will cover the basics of hydrogen, which has the potential to change the world, along with its appeal. I will concisely explain the essential information you should know at this stage. By reading this, you will quietly acquire a basic understanding, and the role of hydrogen energy in a decarbonized society will become clear. *You can view detailed content of the blog through the related links. For more information, please feel free to contact us.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

On February 16, 2024, I participated in the hybrid event: CRE Forum, the 100th commemorative symposium on "The Role of Women in the Logistics Field," and I would like to report on its content. The empowerment of women literally means enabling women to thrive, but it does not necessarily refer to women aiming for or becoming managers. "Diversity" includes not only diversity in gender, age, race, nationality, disability status, sexual orientation, religion, beliefs, and values, but also diversity in career, experience, and work styles. *For more details on the blog content, please refer to the related links. Feel free to contact us for more information.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

On April 18, 2024, we published the latest edition of our quarterly report "Economic and Freight Transport Outlook" as "Economic and Freight Transport Outlook for FY2024" (Revised). In this outlook, we have revised the year-on-year growth rate (forecast) for freight transport volume in FY2024. Additionally, since the actual results for the second half of FY2023 (October 2023 to March 2024) have not yet been finalized, we have also reviewed and revised the forecast for FY2023. In this article, similar to our previous posts, we will summarize the outlook for foreign trade containers (maritime) and international air (aviation) transport volumes, including the adjustments from the previous forecast (published in December 2023), discrepancies with the actual results for the October-December 2023 period, and the trends in the increase/decrease rates compared to pre-COVID (FY2019). *For detailed content of the blog, please refer to the related links. For more information, feel free to contact us.

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

Recently, I have been seeing a lot of content on the internet focused on securing funds for retirement. It seems that many conclusions suggest that "working as long as possible" is a fundamental strategy for securing retirement funds. The reasons for elderly people continuing to work in society are not solely for financial support; rather, they may include personal motivations such as "working is good for health," "it prevents aging," "the work itself is interesting," and "it allows them to utilize their knowledge and skills." From my own observations, I feel that in recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in the presence of elderly individuals who appear to be working on morning and evening commuter trains. In fact, reports indicate that the number of elderly workers has been steadily increasing. Amidst the issues of labor shortages due to declining birth rates and an aging population, elderly workers are becoming increasingly valuable. *For more details about the blog, you can view it through the related links. Please feel free to contact us for more information.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

The "Comprehensive Logistics Policy Outline (2021-2025)," which is the foundation of Japan's current logistics policy, states that "the thorough optimization of the entire supply chain through the promotion of logistics DX and logistics standardization (achieving simple and smooth logistics)" is the first pillar. However, according to the 2023 DX White Paper, the actual situation is that the logistics industry's DX initiatives are less than 20%, which is low compared to other industries. Additionally, a survey conducted in March 2021 found that over 60% of logistics operators do not plan to pursue DX initiatives in the future. Why is that? *For more details, please refer to the related links. Feel free to contact us for more information.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

On June 3rd, we held a seminar for Chief Logistics Officers (CLO) co-hosted by our NX Comprehensive Research Institute and Nippon Express Co., Ltd., with approximately 800 participants. First of all, we would like to express our gratitude. On the other hand, at that time, due to communication issues, the audio was very difficult to hear, and I sincerely apologize on behalf of the organizers for the significant inconvenience and trouble caused to everyone who participated remotely. The seminar started with my opening remarks, but it seems that the communication situation was the worst at that time, so I would like to provide a brief explanation of that part and share what I personally learned from the seminar. *Details of the blog can be viewed through the related links. For more information, please feel free to contact us.*

• others

The patent system is a system that allows individuals to obtain exclusive rights in exchange for disclosing their inventions. By analyzing the publicly available patent applications, one can grasp the trends in technological development within the industry. In this article, we would like to examine the technological trends and potential applications of artificial intelligence in the logistics field by extracting applications related to artificial intelligence from the patent database. *For more detailed information, please refer to the related links. Feel free to contact us for further inquiries.*

• Material handling systems and equipment

In the logistics 2024 issue, challenges in logistics sites such as long-distance transportation and logistics centers, as well as the problem of missed deliveries in the last mile of parcel delivery, are often discussed. In this blog, we will take a slightly different perspective and introduce an example of the impact of last-mile logistics, known as "in-house logistics," in large facilities such as offices and commercial spaces, which could also be a factor in the 2024 issue in urban areas. *For more details about the blog, please refer to the related links. Feel free to contact us for more information.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

In April 2024, NX Research Institute published the "Reiwa Edition Logistics Guidebook (Overview, Physical, Digital)" as an e-book on Kindle. It incorporates more realistic content on themes where our company has expertise, summarizing the essential foundational information that should be understood for these themes. Additionally, to encourage many people to engage with logistics casually, we aimed to keep it concise and as brief as possible, avoiding a thick book. The content covers a range suitable for beginners to practitioners, so there is no need to read everything uniformly; we hope you will look through the topics that interest you. [Features] <Overview> ■ Explains a wide range of themes from a logistics perspective <Physical> ■ Contains the most realistic and practical content among the three sections <Digital> ■ Allows you to learn about the ever-evolving logistics DX from scratch *For more details, please refer to the related links or feel free to contact us.

• Logistics and warehouse management systems

Our country is facing the "2024 Problem," which raises concerns about the stagnation of logistics. In June 2023, the Japanese government's relevant ministerial meeting announced a "Policy Package for Logistics Innovation," which includes measures for "reducing logistics burdens between shippers and logistics operators." This requires not only transportation companies but also shippers and primary contractors to understand and improve the time related to waiting for cargo and loading operations. Let's tackle the 2024 Problem by utilizing DX (Digital Transformation) to address our own transportation and delivery realities. *For more details, please refer to the related links. Feel free to contact us for more information.*

• Logistics and warehouse management systems