History

Activities Spanning
Three Centuries

We have continued to deliver solutions with wisdom and ingenuity for many decades, successfully turning challenges once deemed impossible to transport into achievable missions. 

History of Nippon Express

1872~ Establishment of Riku-un Moto Kaisha (Nippon Express’s predecessor company) 

The origins of our company started when Riku-un Moto Kaisha was established in 1872 as a national land transport company following the consolidation of several private transport companies. This unified package transport nationwide and resulted in a significant advance in modernizing logistics.

1872

Nippon Express's predecessor company Riku-un Moto Kaisha established

1875

Company name changed to Naikoku Tsu-un Kaisha

1928

Company name changed to Kokusai Tsu-un Kabushikl Galsha

1937~ Establishment of Nippon Express 

Nippon Express Co., Ltd. was established in 1937. We expanded our transport network throughout the whole of Japan and organically combined each transport method on land, on the sea, and in the air to establish an intermodal transport system.

1937

Nippon Express Company, Ltd., established by pooling the assets of Kokusai Tsu-un and six other companies.

1941 - 
1945

Consolidation of all major Japanese transportation companies into Nippon Express and start of modern-day operations

1950

Listed on stock exchange and reestablished as a private company

1951

Test transport of containers conducted in Nippon Express style Fine artwork business began

1955

Travel services and domestic air-freight forwarding began

1957~ Launch of our overseas business 

We started an international air-freight forwarding service in 1957. In 1958, the following year, we opened our very first office in New York and then began to fully expand our business overseas following our entry into the US market in 1962.

1957

lnternational air-freight forwarding began

1958

New York Representative Office opened Transport History Archives(currentlyMuseum of LogiStics) opened

1959

Transport using 300-ton trailers began

1961

Nippon Express Scholarship Society established

1962

Nippon Express USA, lnc. established

1964

Sea transport between Tokyo and Muroran begun. 
Performed services for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. The "Venus de Milo" transported.
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1965

Security Transport Business Division established 
Nittsu Gakuen and the University of Transportation Economics opened

1970

Performed services for the International Exposition in Osaka
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1972

Performed services for the Winter Olympics in Sapporo.

1973

Nippon Express (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., established

1974

The "Mona Lisa" transported
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Photo: AP/Aflo 

1977

Nippon Express (Nederland) established

1978

Relocation work performed for Narita Airport.

1980~ Accelerating the expansion of our global business and status as social infrastructure 

We further accelerated the overseas expansion that we had developed since the 1950s, and actively expanded our offices outside of Japan. We continued to grow as a global logistics provider. 
Meanwhile, during the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake of 1995, we set up an emergency response headquarters to transport emergency supplies from locations within and outside of Japan. During the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, we made full use of our land, sea, and air transport methods to support the transport infrastructure, fulfilling our mission of supporting Japan’s logistics during this large-scale disaster.

1981

Nippon Express (U.K) Ltd., and Nippon Express (Deutschland) GmbH established

1985

Performed services for the Tsukuba Expo.
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1989

Nippon Express's, own two-ton rail containers introduced Tanshin Pack small volume moving service launched

1990

Performed services for the lnternational Flower and Greenery Exposition in Osaka

1991

Relocation work performed for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. 
Super Pelican service launched
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1992

Global network expanded to more than 200 operational bases

1993

Recyclable moving/packing materials developed

1994

Shanghai Express lnternational Co, Ltd., established

1997

Recycle transportation business established

1998

Museum or Logistics opened

2001

The number of maritime employees reached 10,000.

2002

Transportation related to the Soccer World Cup performed. 
Number of low-pollution vehicles introduced 1,000.

2003

The head office functions relocated to the new building for the headquarters built in the Shiodome area. 
"Ecology Konpo" home removal product launched Inaugural Nittsu Group Nationwide Contest for Drivers and Forklift Operators Compliance Department established
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2004

Digital tachograph installed in sales vehicles Group-wide

2005

Performed services for the Expo 2005 Aichi Japan

2006

Nippon Express (St.Petersburg) LLC established "Ecology Konpo" is awarded the "Minister's Prize. the Ministry of Land, lnfrastructure, Transport and Tourism" at the Eco Products Awards

2007

Domestic moving products renewed Acquired a transportation business in India, absorbing it as a subsidiary named Nippon Express (India)

2008

Nippon Express marked the 50th anniversary of its founding Awarded both the Logistics Environment Award and the Logistics Enlightenment Awareness Enlightenment Award

2009

Refurbished vehicle paint design. 
The "statue of Ashura," a national treasure of Kofuku Temple, transported

2010~ Sustainability management and accelerating global growth

Since the beginning of the 1990s, we have been promoting eco-friendly transport through measures such as the use of low-emission vehicles and adopting resource-saving packaging materials. Since the 2010s, we have implemented sustainability management while accelerating the growth of our business in the global market. In 2022, after switching to a holding company structure, we expanded our business through M&A and strategic investment, and made progress in strengthening the provision of end-to-end solutions.

2010

NEX-TEC Shibaura. Nittsu Group Human Resource Development Center started operation Courier business transferred to Japan Post Service Co.,Ltd.

2012

NIPPON EXPRESS (SOUTH ASIA & OCEANIA) PTE. LTD. established in Singapore.

2013

Franco Vago S p.A., an Italian logistics company, acquired. 
Nittsu NEC Logistics, Ltd. established. 
NIPPON EXPRESS (CAMBODIA) CO., LTD. Cambodia established.

2014

Foreign bases exceeded 500 points. Nittsu Panasonic Logistics Co., Ltd. established. 
NIPPON EXPRESS ENGINEERING (VIETNAM) CO., LTD. established. 
NIPPON EXPRESS (MYANMAR) CO,. LTD. established.

2015

Foreign employees exceeded 20,000. 
NITTSU LOGISTICS MYANMAR COMPANY LIMITED established. 
Wanbishi Archives Co., Ltd. acquired.

2016

NEX GLOBAL ENGINEERING PTE. LTD. established in Singapore.

2017

Tokyo C-NEX opened. The World Baseball Classic co-sponsored