The government plans to raise the price of stamps for standard-size letters to ¥110 ($0.77) — from ¥84 currently — next fall at the earliest, with postage operations falling into the red due to fewer deliveries, it said Monday.
In announcing what would be the first postage price hike in 30 years, excluding increases in line with consumption tax increases, the internal affairs ministry said it also planned to revise the prices for Japan Post's standard postcards from ¥63 to ¥85.
While the hike to ¥110 is planned for standard-size letters weighing 25 grams or less, those weighing up to 50 grams will also have their stamp price increased to ¥110, from ¥94 currently, the ministry said.
It also plans to raise the stamp price for nonstandard-size postal items by around 30%.
The ministry will solicit public feedback before revising the relevant ordinance pertaining to stamp prices, after which Japan Post will formally apply any change.
Japan's postage price for letters was raised from ¥62 to ¥80 in 1994 in response to loss-making postal operations, and then to ¥82 in 2014 and to ¥84 in 2019 due to consumption tax increases.
Japan Post's mail services logged an operating loss of ¥21.1 billion in fiscal 2022. This is the first time that the segment has fallen into the red since postal services were privatized in 2007, the company said.
Ministry officials expect the company's losses to grow to ¥343.9 billion in fiscal 2028 without a rise in postage prices amid increased labor and fuel costs.