Photo/Illutration Postage stamps and postcards to be released under the planned postage fee increases (Tomoya Fujita)

Postage rates for ordinary mail are set to rise by 30 percent from Oct. 1, the first increase in 30 years, to bring Japan Post Co. back into the black.

The cost of sending a postcard will be raised to 85 yen (54 cents) from the current 63 yen. The fee for standard-size letters weighing 25 grams or less will go up from 84 yen to 110 yen.

Stamps reflecting the new rates will be put on sale on Sept. 2.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications amended a relevant ordinance on June 13 and Japan Post notified it of the revised prices.

It will be the first time since 1994 for postage fees to be raised simultaneously, other than for when rates changed due to increases in the consumption tax rate.

Charges for Letter Pack parcels, express deliveries and non-standard size mail will go up, too.

Standard-size letters weighing over 25 grams but under 50 grams that cost 94 yen at present will require a 110-yen stamp from October, the same charge as that for letters weighing 25 grams or less. 

Charges for specialized class-3 and class-4 mail will remain unchanged.

New stamps will include a label featuring a pine tree design available for 85 yen and a plover-based one for 110 yen.

Those now priced at 22 yen and 26 yen will also be put on sale to make up the price difference between old and fresh postal fees for postcards and letters.

Conventional postcards will be replaced in line with the new rating system.

Sales of stamps carrying price tags of 63 yen, 84 yen and 94 yen will cease at the end of September.

Japan Post initially suggested raising fees 50 percent after its mail business fell into the red, according to a government source. But that met with opposition, so Japan Post decided to limit the hike to around 30 percent.

As a result, Japan Post is expected to be back in the black in fiscal 2025. However, its deficit is projected to start growing again from fiscal 2026.

The internal affairs ministry is now looking at revising the postage fee system and plans to hold expert panel meetings on the issue shortly.