Feb 12 (NHK) - Labor shortages are prompting Japanese moving companies to raise prices ahead of the peak house-moving season in spring.
The companies cite the need to increase wages for part-time workers.
Nippon Express has customarily added to the cost of its moving service for a person living alone a fee of 2,000 yen, or about 18 dollars, during the period from mid-March to early April. The firm says it will now raise that seasonal fee to 45 dollars.
The firm says it will increase wages for part-time workers by 10 to 20 percent from previous years, as it is facing difficulty in securing such workers.
The manager of the moving business department of the firm said the price hike is in response to increased costs in securing workers and trucks. He called on potential customers to refrain from moving during the peak weeks if at all possible.
Yamato Transport has also decided to raise the additional charge for moving in spring. Art Corporation has halted a discount service that corporations can use when transferring employees to new locations or other cases.
A serious shortage of drivers has also led Japanese parcel delivery firms to raise prices.
