The transport ministry issued a disciplinary notice to Japan Post on Wednesday ordering some light commercial vehicles at around 100 post offices be suspended due to failures in conducting proper roll calls, including alcohol checks for the drivers.

In the transport industry, roll calls are legally mandated tasks during which operation managers must check the health conditions of drivers and inspect vehicles to ensure deliveries can be made safely.

In June, Japan Post had its truck transport business license revoked, resulting in a five-year suspension of operations for approximately 2,500 trucks. The latest notice will further restrict the use of light commercial vans at some branches.

Light commercial vans are the company¡¯s primary means of transportation for parcel and mail deliveries, with around 32,000 vehicles in operation nationwide.

Although Japan Post says it is currently unclear how the latest disciplinary measures will impact operations, the company has stated it will continue deliveries per its usual schedule and scale.

The company has been under investigation by the transport ministry since it was revealed that improper roll calls were widespread across the company. In an internal report released in April, Japan Post acknowledged that over 70% of the 3,188 branches investigated failed to conduct proper roll calls.

The violations included failure to conduct alcohol checks on drivers, attributed to a lack of awareness among employees about the importance of these procedures, as well as poor management and governance within the company.

The latest notice, issued Wednesday, was sent to approximately 100 branches following completed investigations by the transport ministry that uncovered violations. The duration of the suspension will vary by branch and be based on the number of vehicles and the severity of violations.

The ministry is still conducting investigations in others, meaning the measures will be rolled out gradually and could ultimately affect around 2,000 post offices nationwide.

Improper roll calls regarding motorbikes were also reported at 1,834 branches ¡ª around 60% of the branches under internal investigation ¡ª according to the Japan Post. Since bike regulations are not under the transport ministry, investigations will not be conducted by them but could be carried out by other ministries going forward.