Call for Proposals: Advanced International RTI Demonstration Transport
Overview
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism will solicit participating businesses and eligible shipments for demonstration transport using returnable transport items (RTIs) across borders, targeting Japanese shippers, Japanese logistics operators, and others to promote RTI adoption in international logistics. The demonstration will be conducted mainly between Japan, China, and South Korea from October 2026 through January 2027, subject to the use of advanced, high-functionality RTIs, a transport lead time of no more than 3 months, and the prospect of commercial operation 1–2 years later.
Key points
- The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism will solicit participating businesses for international RTI demonstration transport.
- Eligible participants include Japanese shipper companies, Japanese logistics operators, and others.
- The demonstration transport must be completed within 3 months, with commercial operation expected 1–2 years later.
- In principle, 300,000 yen per shipment is planned to be provided for costs related to research cooperation.
Overview
Since fiscal 2021, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has conducted research to promote the adoption of returnable transport items (RTIs) in international logistics. This fiscal year, based on the knowledge accumulated to date, it will conduct demonstration transport using advanced, high-functionality international RTIs to identify specific issues involved in cross-border RTI use.
Impact
The demonstration transport aims to identify specific issues in cross-border RTI use and contribute to promoting wider international RTI adoption in the future.
Details
Eligible businesses include Japanese shipper companies, Japanese logistics operators, including RTI developers, operators, and rental companies, and others. Eligible shipments are transport between Japan, China, and South Korea, among other routes, using advanced, high-functionality RTIs or existing RTIs equipped with advanced, high-functionality devices, with the aim of improving cargo handling, costs, transport quality, required transit time, and institutional constraints.
For round-trip transport, completion within 3 months is required from export through import, including the transport itself, related procedures, and customs procedures at border crossings. Another condition is that commercial operation is expected 1–2 years later, beginning with the demonstration.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism will conduct a comprehensive review of the RTI's advanced features, the necessity and feasibility of the demonstration transport, and conformity with the implementation conditions. Matters to be verified include transport costs, lead time, transport quality, procedures during transport, and customs procedures at border crossings. Applicants must enter the required information in the application form and submit it by email. In principle, 300,000 yen per shipment is planned to be provided, although the amount may be adjusted depending on the number of applications.