Around noon on the 23rd, the Tohoku Shinkansen “Yamabiko” appeared at Morioka Station in Iwate Prefecture. Behind it, a Shinkansen train with a different design was coupled.
Moreover, there were no seats inside. It wasn’t filled with people, but only stacks of cardboard boxes. In fact, this is Japan’s first Shinkansen train dedicated solely to cargo.
Because cargo can be loaded while still on its cage trolley, it can transport large quantities of cargo at once.
The train, which began operation on the 23rd, is a dedicated vehicle for transporting cargo, developed to further expand the “Hakobyun” train cargo transport service. Amidst the shortage of truck drivers, how will this affect logistics in the future? Japan’s first Shinkansen train dedicated solely to cargo, which will transport cargo from Morioka to Tokyo, made its debut on the 23rd. From the morning, cargo loading work was carried out at the train depot, and the use of unmanned transport vehicles was used to streamline operations.
Looking at previously filmed footage of the interior, the cargo was neatly displayed and secured with hooks to prevent it from shaking. Each train car can be equipped with 24 trolleys, each capable of carrying six cardboard boxes weighing approximately 20 kg, allowing for a total of about 1,000 boxes to be carried across the seven cars.
Yuichi Shimaka, president of Marutomo Shimaka Co., Ltd., the fisheries company that used the service, said, “Today we’re carrying about 30 cases of scallops from Sanriku. The biggest advantage is that they can be on the shelves of restaurants and supermarkets by the evening of the same day.” The cargo being transported requires speed and stability, and in addition to fresh food products, it also includes items sensitive to vibration and temperature changes, such as blood for transfusions and precision equipment.
The freight-only Shinkansen arrived at the Tokyo train depot about four hours after departing Morioka. This is only half the time it would normally take about eight hours by truck. Amid concerns about labor shortages due to restrictions on long working hours for drivers as part of the 2024 problem, there are hopes that this will help alleviate the problem. Logistics journalist Ryohei Sakata says, “From a consumer’s perspective, if you want to eat fresher products (such as sashimi and fish), this bullet train transport service is a very advantageous service. (Due to the 2024 problem, etc.) The amount of cargo that can be transported by truck is decreasing.
I hope this will help compensate for that.” Amidst this, a transportation service that doesn’t transport or deliver packages is also emerging. From April onwards, unmanned pick-up spots are scheduled to be set up in commercial areas and train stations in Tokyo, Osaka, and other cities. Transportation companies will simply deliver packages to the pick-up spots. Users can pick up their packages at their convenience, eliminating the stress of face-to-face pickup and the worry of packages being lost if left unattended.
Tomomi Ishido, Director of Every WiLL Co., Ltd.: “Because entry is via QR code, data is recorded on who entered and when. There are surveillance cameras so we can check for any suspicious activity.” Logistics services are likely to continue to develop in order to alleviate labor shortages.
