FedEx announces expansion plans for Narita airport gateway facilities

Kei Kubota, Managing Director of FedEx in Japan, said:

「我々にとって重要なゲートウェイ施設での運用効率の向上は、今日の多様な輸送ニーズと輸送量に対応し続けるために不可欠です。この計画は、フェデックスのグローバルビジネス戦略の一環として、大型・重量貨物の輸送能力を強化し、将来に向けた輸送ネットワークを構築することを目指しています。日本での業務開始以来、重要な役割を果たしてきた成田国際空港における施設の強化は、貿易を促進し、サプライチェーンに関連する対応能力を最適化しようとする我々の強いコミットメントを示しています。」

Heavy cargo represents a significant portion of international air freight in Japan. According to data from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s Air Cargo Statistics Report (https://www.mlit.go.jp/common/001599961.pdf), the average weight per shipment in 2022 was 356 kg for exports and 436 kg for imports. Imports tend to outweigh exports across categories; food products are particularly notable at an average of 890 kg per shipment. Other items such as clothing, pharmaceuticals, non-metal mineral products, metal products, and medical machinery also exceed an average weight of 500 kg per shipment. Machinery accounts for roughly two-thirds of both export (65.9%) and import (63.1%) weights in international air cargo.

FedEx currently operates through two main airports in Japan—Narita International Airport serving eastern Japan’s cargo needs and Kansai International Airport serving western Japan—and connects customers to more than 220 countries and territories using its global network.