JAPAN POST HIKES RATES FOR FIRST TIME IN 30 YEARS郵便料金 30年ぶり値上げ

Japan Post raised postal rates starting on October 1 for the first time in 30 years. It cited a drop in postal service users as one reason behind the hikes. Another is rising logistics costs. The cost of postcards rose to 85 yen, or about 60 cents. Postage for standard-size items weighing 50 grams or less went up to 110 yen. Rates for sending documents were also hiked – Letter Pack Light envelopes went up to 430 yen, and Letter Pack Plus rose to 600 yen, or about 4 dollars. The firm expects to restore profitability in its postal business in fiscal 2025, but it foresees an operating loss again in fiscal 2026. The question now is how Japan Post can make its postal business more efficient while maintaining low rates for mail services throughout the country.

◆cite （例や理由などとして）挙げる、言及する   to mention something as an example, especially one that supports, proves, or explains an idea or situation

◆hike （料金や給料などの）引き上げ  especially American English informal a large increase in prices, wages, taxes etc 類義語 rise 

◆operating loss　営業損失   a loss relating to a company’s normal business operations, rather than to activities such as asset sales that only happen from time to time 

Daily Vocabulary(2024/10/23）

32096.of all time(これまでの中で一番）the best, biggest etc of a particular kind of person or thing that has ever existed 
Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time. 
32097.neither here nor there(それは重要ではない）not important 

You might not agree with his methods, but that’s neither here nor there. The point is, the project was successful.

32098.challenge someone(チャレンジする、試練を与える）

I want to challenge myself to learn a new language this year. 

32099.the head of(責任者） to notice something about the way someone is behaving or feeling, even though they are trying not to show it 
As the head of marketing, she decides the ad campaigns. 
33100.poor(かわいそう） a small change made to a machine, system, or calculation 

My poor grandma fell over and hurt her back.