Comment on “Japan Post Refunds Part of Penalty Fees Following Guidance from Antitrust Authorities: ‘Lacked Sufficient Explanation.’” [in Japanese]
On January 7, 2025, a comment on the Asahi Shimbun article, “Japan Post Refunds Part of Penalty Fees Following Guidance from Antitrust Authorities: ‘Lacked Sufficient Explanation.’” by Professor Maiko Ichihara（Graduate School of Law）was published. The article explains that Japan Post had been collecting “penalty fees” from subcontractors in cases such as complaints regarding the delivery of its parcel service, Yu-Pack. In 2024, the Japan Fair Trade Commission determined that this practice was illegal, prompting Japan Post to refund a portion of the fees to the subcontractors. Professor Ichihara pointed out that one reason cited for imposing penalty fees was complaints about the smell of tobacco. She argued that penalizing subcontractors based on odor complaints could be excessive from a human rights perspective. She emphasized the need for a more flexible approach—one that distinguishes between acknowledging customer complaints and imposing disproportionate warnings or sanctions.
