News
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) of Japan’s Ports and Harbours Bureau has formulated guidelines for promoting fair business transactions. The guidelines recommend that in the port and harbor transportation business, fair prices be paid and received, and that unfair transactions be remedied.
The MLIT conducted a fact-finding survey on the port and harbor transportation business in June 2025 when developing an action plan for addressing port and harbor worker shortages, which projected chronic worker shortages. As for the payment and collection of rates and fees, many complained about insufficient price pass-throughs.
To improve such situations, it is necessary for shipping companies and shippers to have negotiations on an equal footing with port and harbor transporters. It is also necessary to pay and receive fair prices that reflect personnel and other necessary costs that are suitable for work conditions and environments.
As such, four meetings have been convened since September 2025 of a council for discussing guidelines for promoting fair transactions in the ports and harbor transportation business.
