The Japan Logistics Association held its first International Affairs Committee meeting for fiscal year 2025 on September 4th.
The committee is positioned as a meeting to consider issues related to the overseas expansion of logistics businesses through public-private partnerships, and 30 people participated, including 10 from member companies and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism who participated via web.
The committee meeting consisted of two parts. In the first part, Yasushi Ishida, Deputy General Manager of Operations at the Japan-ASEAN Centre, gave a lecture entitled "Logistics in ASEAN," which was attended by 67 people, including those who listened via web conferencing.
Deputy Department Head Ishida introduced the ASEAN region, noting that its GDP is approximately $3.8 trillion, making it the fifth largest in the world, and that the logistics market is expected to expand from approximately $2882 billion in 2025 to $390 billion in 2030.
Furthermore, the report noted that while Singapore ranks among the world's top in logistics performance, other countries have significant differences in infrastructure and systems, as well as differences in customs and institutional barriers from country to country.
Going forward, based on the "ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan (2026-2035)," the plan will promote strengthening of the regional transportation network, digitalization, and green logistics. Regarding Japan's role, the plan cites road and port development, the introduction of customs clearance systems, and support for cold chain and EV logistics, explaining that Japanese companies can leverage their strengths in e-commerce, refrigerated logistics, and warehouse automation.
In the second part of the committee meeting, Takehito Makino, Director of the International Logistics Office, Logistics and Automobile Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, explained "Recent Initiatives in International Logistics Policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism."
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism is promoting efforts to spread cold chain logistics services. Regarding "ISO 31512," it has been working to spread cold chain services in the ASEAN region under the framework of Japan-ASEAN Transport Cooperation, but it has indicated that it will now focus its research more broadly on the Global South.
Furthermore, regarding the Japan-ASEAN Logistics Experts Meeting and Workshop, they explained that they plan to hold it in Bangkok, Thailand in January or February of next year, and that they are considering having logistics companies participate and setting up temporary booths at the back of the workshop venue.
Finally, after the secretariat reported on the activities for the first half of fiscal year 2025 and the preliminary results of the survey on overseas logistics in India, the activity plan for the second half of the year was discussed and approved as originally proposed.
