Sustainable Shared Transport Inc. (SST), a subsidiary of Yamato Holdings Co., Ltd. (1) and Fujitsu Limited, announced the launch of a joint transportation and delivery system for shippers and logistics providers in Japan. SST will start providing the service on February 1, 2025.
SST, established on May 21, 2024, aims to build a sustainable supply chain through this platform, which utilizes standardized pallet transportation (physical) and standardized information exchange (digital). This new joint transportation and delivery service, provided by SST, matches shippers and logistics providers on the system, primarily focusing on trunk transport.
Fujitsu, recognizing the crucial role of responsible supply chain management in its commitment to developing a digital society, views solving logistics challenges as a key priority within its Materiality. Fujitsu will utilize SST’s joint transportation and delivery service as a shipper and has jointly built a data integration platform with the company. On February 1, 2025, Fujitsu will invest 50 million yen in SST.
This initiative comes as the logistics industry in Japan faces various challenges, including transportation capacity shortages and climate change concerns, and all companies are being urged to undergo significant transformations to further improve logistical efficiency and create an attractive work environment. Furthermore, to foster sustainable logistics growth, the Japanese government amended legislation, encouraging shippers and logistics companies to implement logistics optimization measures from April 2025 onwards.
However, industry-specific systems, standards, and business practices hinder widespread solutions. To address this task, the Yamato Group established SST in May 2024, fostering open collaboration across industries. Together with Fujitsu, SST has developed a foundational system for data integration across companies.
Joint transportation and delivery system and open platform:
Creating optimal transport and delivery plans through matching information from shippers and logistics companies
Leveraging the Fujitsu Unified Logistics offering, the system optimizes transportation plans based on shipper data (shipping schedules, packaging, volume) and carrier schedules. Shippers can easily participate in joint transportation and delivery, selecting optimal methods (time slots, transport modes) within standard pallet space units. Logistics providers benefit from increased load factors, reduced empty mileage, and improved driver conditions.
Accelerating decision-making and promoting cooperation between companies
The open platform is compliant with the guidelines established by the Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP) Smart Logistics Service project implemented by Japan’s Cabinet Office. This facilitates data integration across industries and companies, enables faster decision-making and fosters collaboration for improved efficiency.
Achieving secure data linkage through the blockchain
Utilizing Fujitsu’s blockchain technology and cybersecurity expertise, the platform prevents unauthorized access and employs data change logging for tamper detection and recovery, ensuring secure data sharing across industries and companies.
Trunk transport
SST’s services enable trunk transportation with scheduled operation, relay transportation, and consolidated transportation in specific regions of Japan, available in standard pallet space units. Additionally, through partnerships with local distribution companies, deliveries within the area will be provided to meet the needs of shippers utilizing the service.
Future plans
SST and Fujitsu aim to create a sustainable and cross-industry supply chain by combining Yamato Group’s partnerships with approximately 1.7 million corporate clients and over 3,500 logistics providers, its transportation network and operational expertise, and Fujitsu’s expertise in manufacturing, distribution, and system development. Furthermore, the two companies will build a digital infrastructure linking commercial and logistics information, and promote data integration with related organizations and platforms to optimize and strengthen the entire supply chain.
SST will accelerate joint transportation and delivery by expanding its service area, schedules, and transportation modes to include rail and sea freight in addition to trucking, aiming to expand to 80 routes by the end of March 2026.
Fujitsu, under its Fujitsu Uvance business model focused on addressing societal challenges, will continue to contribute to the realization of a physical internet, maximizing transportation, handling, and storage assets through joint transportation and delivery with SST. Furthermore, Fujitsu will collaborate with logistics stakeholders, combining multi-sector open platforms to solve a wide range of cross-industry challenges.
