This is a direct consequence of new regulations that cap overtime hours for truck drivers. While intended to improve working conditions, this policy exacerbates Japan's existing labor shortage within a rapidly aging workforce. The result is a potential for higher transportation costs, reduced delivery capacity, and widespread supply chain disruptions, with significant implications not only for Japan's domestic economy but also for regional trade networks.

While Japan's land area is smaller compared to countries like the United States, it is long from north to south, spanning 3,000 km. This distance is comparable to that between Toronto, Canada, and Mexico City, Mexico (approximately 3,200 km), or Kyiv, Ukraine, and Madrid, Spain (approximately 2,800 km).

Daiwa Steel Tube Industries (DSTI), the Japanese founding company of o2Oh, is also seriously addressing these issues. To efficiently deliver goods nationwide, DSTI has divided this long country into five sales offices, with each location having its own inventory warehouse. We also utilize a private fleet, a form of transport where the shipper owns its own trucks and handles logistics in-house.