Yamato to launch home delivery service in China, expand in Asia+

TOKYO, Aug. 26 Kyodo - Yamato Holdings Co. said Wednesday it will launch door-to-door parcel delivery service in China in January, expanding such operation outside Japan for the first time.

Aiming to establish a presence in emerging Asian economies, Yamato also plans
to start parcel delivery service in such countries as Indonesia, Malaysia and
Singapore, the company said.
Yamato, Japan's largest home delivery service operator, will turn Shanghai Bus
Logistics Co. into a subsidiary by buying a 65 percent stake in the
distribution firm for about 3.5 billion yen.
Setting up 24 distribution stations in Shanghai, the Chinese subsidiary will
operate door-to-door parcel delivery service under the brand of Kuro-neko
Yamato's Takkyubin service.
Yamato plans to set delivery service charges lower than those in Japan, the
company said, adding customers will be able to specify times for delivery or
ask for refrigerated delivery service as it offers in Japan.
Yamato will invest about 10 billion yen in Shanghai over the next 10 years. It
plans to increase the number of vehicles such as trucks to some 600 from the
initially planned 100 and raise the number of workers from the initial 700 to
around 3,000.
==Kyodo