Mitsui Global Logistics has expressed a positive attitude toward entering overseas business. It also mentions effective measures for cross-border EC and logistics, as well as its willingness to support overseas expansion centered on logistics.
As it is important to select the most appropriate partner when entering the cross-border EC market, please take a look at the company’s service offerings and use them as a reference when selecting a partner. This article describes Mitsui Global Logistics’ overseas business strategy and the services it is currently offering.
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Mitsui Global Logistics’ Overseas Business Strategy
Cross-border EC” is the sale of products from Japan to foreign countries. Currently, this cross-border EC is attracting attention around the world.
The e-commerce market in China, the U.S., and other countries around the world is booming. This excitement is so great that it has given rise to a new term, “Bakubai” (explosive buying), based on the Chinese people’s strong purchasing power. Due in part to this influence, the number of Japanese companies entering the cross-border EC market is on the rise. Therefore, “Mitsui Global Logistics (MGL) Inc.
I think one of the reasons is that EC businesses now have a wider range of schemes to choose from in order to expand overseas,” said Mr. Takeshita, General Manager of the Overseas Business Office.
In addition, when EC operators aim to expand overseas, they take the form of cross-border EC, which has the advantages of low initial investment and ease of operation for even relatively small EC operators.
However, he also mentioned some disadvantages, such as longer delivery lead times and logistics inefficiencies, which could put pressure on management as the volume of sales increases.
About MGL’s Total Support
Regarding the issue of overseas expansion, “Mr. Takeshita, General Manager of the Overseas Business Office,” further stated the following observations.
Recently, there are schemes to streamline transportation and logistics by working with local import agents and outsourcing sales activities and other commercial distribution to local operations, and by shipping goods in bulk from Japan to local warehouses for individual delivery from the local warehouses to purchasers. Another option is for Japanese businesses to establish a local subsidiary and develop their business in the country.”
On the issue of overseas expansion, he talked about options such as working with import agents, etc., or developing a business in the country concerned.
It also indicates that MGL is ready to provide total support for overseas expansion, no matter how you plan to go about it.
Mitsui Global Logistics Supports Cross-border EC
China holds an overwhelming share of the EC market. Mr. Naohara, General Manager of the Overseas Sales Office, who has experience stationed in China, offers the following observations on this situation.
In recent years, it is essential to effectively utilize T-mall (Tianyi) and JD (Jingdong) when aiming to expand into the Chinese market. If you want to be successful in these malls, you should not use the cross-border EC style, but rather work with the right partner to establish a local subsidiary and open a store in a local mall to sell your products.
In other words, he said, it is important to operate with the best partner when entering the China cross-border EC market. However, finding the right partner is not easy.
その件について、MGLは中国での物流サポートを行うことはもちろんのこと、取扱商品の特性や、海外戦略の方向性などを加味した上で、最適なパートナーを紹介することが可能という意思を示しました。
When ordinary businesses try to enter the cross-border EC market for China, they face language barriers and logistics problems that prevent them from successfully dealing with customers. However, if they can receive support from a company like MGL, which is strong in logistics, entry into cross-border EC for China should become a reality.
Services provided by Mitsui Global Logistics
When entering the cross-border EC market, support from a company like MGL, which is strong in logistics, is crucial. Here again, we would like to explain the services that MGL provides.
If you are considering entering the cross-border EC market, please review the details below and consider using support from MGL.
Logistics Center Operations
Logistics center operations optimize inventory management by centralizing procurement logistics from overseas as domestic and overseas warehouse loading and unloading. The main business activities are as follows
| Business | feature |
| Provides distribution processing services | Merchandise: Production goods such as synthetic resins In-house handling: Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture, industrial complex area |
| Appropriate temperature and humidity control implemented, digital data conversion services | Merchandise: Video and media assets In-house handling: Kasai area |
| Support for pharmaceutical affairs operations, as well as distribution processing operations related to packaging, labeling, and storage | Trade: Medical devices and pharmaceuticals In-house handling: Katsushima area |
| Providing tailor-made logistics to meet customer needs, developing B2B/B2C integrated DC operations, and implementing BCP operations across East and West locations. | Merchandise: daily consumer goods, mainly apparel, health foods and cosmetics, etc. In-house handling: In-house or rental properties nationwide |
| Expand next-business-day pickup and delivery of stored documents within 23 wards | Merchandise: documents, household goods, fixtures In-house handling: Kasai/Katsushima area |
| Logistics outsourcer for all kinds of commercial products | Merchandise: Production goods such as construction materials / intermediate goods, temperature-controlled products such as wine and food, etc. In-house handling: All over Japan except Okinawa |
Reference: STRENGTH Business Strengths｜MGL
We also provide business support throughout the Mitsui & Co. group as mail order fulfillment. When selling products from Japan to overseas, ideal cross-border EC operations can be realized.
international transport
As an international intermodal transportation, we optimize inventory management by centralizing procurement logistics from overseas. When selling products from Japan to overseas, even if you succeed in launching or opening an e-commerce mall, there are many cases where logistics causes problems.
MGL provides intermodal transportation services by land, sea, and air, and is also able to comply with import/export trade regulations and procedures.
Equipment transportation is also available, and you can receive optimal solutions through integrated transportation planning, from dismantling to installation of equipment.
In addition, our steel transportation professionals provide total support for the transportation of all kinds of steel products, from semi-finished steel products to processed steel products. Our main services are as follows
| Services | feature |
| Steel transportation (conventional vessel transportation) | Staff with expertise in bulk shipping execute planning, transportation, and safety management of steel conventional vessels. Centralized handling of export steel products for the Mitsui & Co. group Expanded handling of steel transportation between the three countries |
| Steel transportation (container transportation) | Handling container transportation of various steel materials such as coils, Bar, Tube, etc., including tinplate, electromagnetic steel plate, etc. We propose and practice safe and competitive transportation based on our abundant experience in the transportation of coils, which are difficult to transport. Provide intermodal transportation to Door of destination country in cooperation with overseas network bases. |
| Transportation of fabricated steel products (containerized transportation) | Handling of all marine transportation of primary/secondary processed steel products Provides optimal cargo handling, loading, and other safety management according to cargo characteristics |
Reference: STRENGTH Business Strengths｜MGL
SCM/BPR
SCM/BPR completes all necessary tasks from on-site logistics operations to strategic planning in a single procedure. In addition, logistics KPI analysis visualizes current logistics costs and sets the target audience to aim for.
Along with this, centralized logistics management provides continuous improvement support from a variety of perspectives, including
| point of view | Contents |
| Forwarding Perspective | Are prices competitive with market conditions? |
| Customs Viewpoint | Is there any demurrage that has passed Free Time? Is an allowance for re-storage required? |
| Distribution Center Perspective | Are logistics costs reasonable? What are the factors that are driving up logistics costs? Does it meet the service level? Is the work routine? |
Reference: STRENGTH Business Strengths｜MGL
Logistics + α
In addition to logistics, MGL offers the following additional services
- Logistics + Finance (Leasing)
- Logistics + Customer Service
- Logistics + Insurance
- Logistics + Real Estate
Reference: STRENGTH Business Strengths｜MGL
When entering the cross-border EC market, consider these services if you need them as well.
Tokyo Otaku Mode” Raises Funds from Mitsui & Co.
Tokyo Otaku Mode is a cross-border e-commerce site that provides information on Japanese pop culture to the world. 22 months after its launch, the site became the first Japanese-operated site to receive 10 million likes on Facebook, making it one of the largest Japanese anime and manga-related sites in the world.
This “Tokyo Otaku Mode” will receive investment from Mitsui & Co. and the Recruit companies. The company plans to focus on the expansion of its e-commerce business, strengthening the acquisition of merchandise, hiring personnel, and improving its services, in order to “accelerate the growth of its global services.
Yuichiro Hanawa, General Manager of the Media Business Department, ICT Business Division,” said of the investment as follows.
We will contribute to TOM’s business expansion by providing multifaceted support, leveraging our overseas network cultivated as a trading company and the knowledge we have gained through our involvement in the e-commerce business.”
With the investment from Mitsui and Recruit, there are high expectations for the further growth of Tokyo Otaku Mode.
summary
This article describes Mitsui Global Logistics’ overseas business strategy and the services it is currently engaged in.
MGL has expressed a positive view of cross-border EC and has indicated a willingness to support overseas expansion, particularly in logistics.
In addition, MGL says that in selling products through cross-border EC, it is effective to work with the most suitable partner to open a store in a local mall, and in response to this, MGL can introduce the most suitable partner.
If you are planning to enter the cross-border EC market, please check MGL’s services described in this article and consider requesting support.
