Japan Post has announced a temporary suspension of the acceptance of international mail from 126 countries for EMS and Air Mail, and for all types of mail from 27 countries. The change is due to a significant decline in flights to and from Japan, and various safety measures being put in place to counteract the coronavirus pandemic.
The temporary suspension also extends to Japan Post’s Economy Air (SAL) Service, and to all 86 countries where the service is available to.
The EMS and Air Mail suspension includes countries like Italy, Russia and Brazil. Meanwhile, countries like India, Indonesia and New Zealand are affected with a broader suspension of all types of mail. However, mail coming from the United States, France and the United Kingdom are unaffected.
According to a report by NHK, the suspension started Wednesday. International postal items that have already been received by April 1 from the aforementioned countries will be returned to their point of origin.
Japan Post has not announced when they will resume the acceptance of international mail from the affected countries.
A full list of the countries affected by the suspension can be found here.
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49 Comments
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rgcivilian1
What? Too much. They should have stopped the ones who brought the virus into the country in the first place not the mail.
Tom
If people lick their stamps as I do, that could be an issue.
viking68
The virus will not last long enough outside a person to survive the transit time. Paper and cardboard has the lowest time (up to 24 hours), and plastic and non-copper metals have the longest time (around 72 hours). Lack of flights seems reasonable enough, but a blanket suspension of all mail from the selected countries seems dubious, like manyof the politicians steps to address the virus.
The Post office should put more emphasis on the pen that the delivery person asks you to use. It has been circulating everywhere for three days potentially collecting and distributing the virus (not to mention other bugs). We don't touch "the pen" at our house. Instead, we just use our hanko.
inkochi
France is exempted but French Polynesia and New Caledonia are not!
And New Zealand?!
Whatever!
Institutional xenophobia (maybe not) or attention to post item handling practice?
if attention to levels of COVID, some surprises on the country list.
nonu6976
Of all the many things they could of done , they choose stopping the mail. And then they exempt 3 of the countries with some of the largest infection rates. LOL!!
bass4funk
Makes No sense whatsoever! So what about the post coming from Tokyo will everyone else be protected and not allowed to receive mail that area since that’s ground zero for the virus? Jus sayin’........
techall
Good thing my Social Security payments are direct deposit, if I had chosen to get paid by check, I wouldn't receive it.
borscht
If they really fear the virus coming in on international mail they could receive it, hold it in quarantine for 72 hours (to be on the safe side), then deliver it. The virus will probably be dead after 24 hours.
Or not accept mail from the country (USA! We’re No. 1!) with the biggest number of coronavirus sufferers.
But they’re doing neither which suggests some bureaucrat is trying to cover his or her nether regions.
Badge213
Much of air mail traffic is not on specialized aircraft, but on regularly scheduled passenger flights (how airlines make a little extra money on the side is by delivering mail). With air travel to certain places at almost a standstill it is quite difficult to continue paying and accepting mail delivery.
wtfjapan
its not a virus problem its a airfreight problem, some smaller countries post offices have been scaled back in staff because of the virus, countries not on the list have the highest level of air freight to and from Japan,
US UK Germany France Australia Canada China etc
Japan post simply doesnt have enough of their own planes to carry all the mail, companies like DHL Fedex UPS TNT etc are all flying flatout , trying to take up the surplus, but not even they can do it all, which is why theyve suspended certain countries. If it was a virus problem they would have blocked China USA France long ago
wtfjapan
Makes No sense whatsoever! So what about the post coming from Tokyo will everyone else be protected and not allowed to receive mail that area since that’s ground zero for the virus? Jus sayin’........
when receiving mail domestically while the risks are low just treat it as normal after youve opened and handles the box and or signed the delivery guys label/ barcode reader, wear a mask, wash your hands inside.
Cosmos1
Rite !
People in the republic of Ireland can walk over the open border and post to Japan from the UK side of Ireland.
Cognac
service to Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxemburg suspended
among these countries there is one, which was saved by suspension : France
that's ridicolous
also USA, Canada, UK, Australia not suspended, clearly Japan Post loves english speaking countries....
service to UK is not suspended (and contagious are spreading over there) while Tristan da Cuhna, a small island in the south atlantic ocean is suspended. I wonder how corona virus can reach a small island which is more than 2500km far from the nearest inhabitat place.....
Cognac
Today I learnt from Japan Today message board that Italy, Spain and Brazil are small countries
Blattamexiguus
The desperate desire to appear to be proactive rather than addressing any real issues.
smoke and mirror knee jerk reaction.
OssanAmerica
"The change is due to a significabt decline in flights to and from Japan, and various safety measures being put in place to counteract the coronavirus pandemic."
Air cargo flights have diminished. The temporary action is simply a necessity forced by the lack of flights.
TARA TAN KITAOKA
A few more points, then why are u not shutting out everything else ???. Who is at the top of japan post ???. His number one , two and three need to be fired.
Serrano
Oh well. looks like some people are gonna have to do without toilet paper longer than they thought.
bass4funk
Don’t tell me you believe in that fairytale too!?
buchailldana
Utter stupidity again.
There are no direct flights from Japan to Ireland so my guess the mail gets sent from Japan to the UK or a major hub such as Paris, and then gets sent on its merry way to Dublin.
I've been writing monthly letters to my parents for over 20 years and while I'm lucky enough to be able to chat to them on video there is something special for them about reading a hand written letter.
I understand that with the Corona virus things have changed but this strikes me as BS. I even have a 12 page one ready for posting on my kitchen table.
Thanks Japan post
DaDude
I am glad that all of the countries I mostly ship to for eBay are not listed.
gogogo
Mail in yeah? Mail out is unaffected? The translation everywhere is so bad.
FizzBit
It’s not a big deal but my inch/foot measuring tape I use on and off for my home remodeling broke last week and am waiting for a new one from the States. Sure glad my R19 fiberglass insulation has already arrived.
invalid CSRF
3RENSHO
"but my inch/foot measuring tape I use on and off for my home remodeling broke last week"
FizzBit - if you can switch to metric system, then you can pick up a measuring device at the local DIY...
TrevorPeace
I was glad to see Canada's not on the list. But the baby gift I bought for my friends who are proud first-time parents will stay with me until I know it's either safe to send or I return to Japan for another visit.
Do the hustle
Only in Japan! Abe and his cronies have been dithering and deliberately trying to cone up with something uniquely Japanese to control the virus. I guess they have missed the report that states the virus can only live for 3-5 days on a surface. This is totally absurd and without a doubt stupidest thing I have ever heard of Japan doing.
FizzBit
3rensho
yeah I use both. Some things measure better depending on what it is. 2x4’s = (1-1/2" x 3-1/2"), 2x12’s for stairs, etc.
Arf Ran
This is not about incoming mail to Japan. The restrictions are on outgoing international mail to the countries Japan Post specified. It’s about reduced flights, and various postal services around the world not be able to operate with full service right now.
Roger Jolly
A-holes! That's crazy! In the 21st century. Do we have to send it by ship like 300 years ago? I don't think that posts abroad act like that!
They already work like slowly like princesses for whatever is unrelated to NENGAJO and they do not even come bringing the mail a second time when you are not at home, like other services... you have to summon them...
nandakandamanda
The article doesn't mention that J Post Offices have stopped sending international mail out from Japan today too.
I took a parcel to the PO this afternoon and they said flat "No!" They waved a printed list of countries at me.
Then they asked to where? Australia, I said. They showed me the list, ran their fingers up and down it, and despite doing double-takes on Austria, they could not actually find Australia mentioned anywhere. Hmmm....
"Yay", I quickly filled out their forms and sent it off. Phew! It's now or never, folks!
mmwkdw
I guess buying stuff on Amazon won't be impacted ?
didou
For me, it is more a problem of logistthan anything. That’s why some countries though affected are not on the list. There are still some flights, at list cargo flights that do not stop
didou
More a problem of logistics than anything
WilliB
What? This is getting ridiculous. How long does the virus live on surfaces? Id say by definition international mail is safer in that regard than domestic mail.
wtfjapan
Don’t tell me you believe in that fairytale too!?
well the scientist will tell you how long a virus can live on cardboard plastic steel etc
love to see your scientific proof that the coronavirus is spread by collecting parcels, if it was even remotely true the whole country would have the virus by now, all thos government letters bills etc etc
and like I stated just wash your hands after you've collected a parcel or been out shopping and you'll be fine
Matthew Sisco
This is not correct. If the author of this article took a look at the Japan Post website in Japanese, she would notice it says ‘宛て’, which means TO. They will not be accepting packages being sent from Japan TO those countries. Inbound packages will still be accepted. It would not make sense for them to send packages back out of Japan if the reason is lack of flights. The author should have realized this. Irresponsible reporting. Source: https://www.post.japanpost.jp/int/information/2020/0401_02.html
wtfjapan
Oh well. looks like some people are gonna have to do without toilet paper longer than they thought.
actually no my local Welcia is stacked to the roof with toilet paper now.
If you want to ship it overseas that's fine also as long as you dont want to send it to the countries on the list, USA UK Australia, Canada China Germany Finland are still accepting and delivering mail from Japan,
yes I know as my good friend exports over 3000 items a month,not toilet paper, Fedex DHL UPS are also still operating as normal.
runner3
And no stay at home order yet? Abe is completely missing what he should be doing now.
KariHaruka
Of course! Suspending the acceptance of international mail, but not putting the country into a lockdown, will certainly sort out all of the problems! Abe and co have saved Japan!! HOORAY!!!!!!!
Not really..... But Japan has to pretend to be seen doing something.
Strangerland
That does appear to be correct. This article has it backwards. And the reason for not sending this mail is that the mail lines are down/disrupted with these countries, not because they are being discriminated against.
nandakandamanda
Northernlife, if you read the comments you'll see that it is a stoppage of goods going OUT, not coming in.
wtfjapan
What about goods from China.....
goods from China are still accepted , but they're will still be delays due to the number of flights canceled
Mike
Japan is a dodgy country. I knew that. That's insane to stop all international mail services because of the "lack" of planes. Other countries don't do this crap as it is essential for people
Japine
And China is not on the list. Smh
nandakandamanda
The no-fly list will be further extended tomorrow the 10th.
Ashwijn
I want to clarify the correctness of this news. It is here mentioned that JP post is not accepting mails from international countries. But please go to the actual link of JP post mentioned in this article. There it says "not accepting mails TO various international destinations" . Please clarify or check the correctness of this news. And please do not publish without verification.
Donna Mastropolo Holzkopf
When will this be lifted? Been trying to get my so his birthday gift since April. It is sitting in the USPS wear-house waiting to go. This is crazy!
Pablo García
When do flights resume to Spain?
JeffreyK
It's now the end of August and there is still no air mail to the US, Australia and many other countries.
By now it's unacceptable that no other solution has been found to ensure air transport. Covid19 will not disappear anytime soon - how are companies who rely on air mail supposed to operate? Big companies who aren't affected as they mostly use private courier and cargo companies and have good deals with them. It's the small manufacturers and vendors who get hit disproportionately not only compared to the big companies, but also compared to their international competitors. Other countries' postal services can send to the USA, why not Japan? Also, the USPS can send to Japan as well!