October 2026 Click Post Changes: Rates, Sizes, and Drop-Off Methods

According to announcements by Japan Post and the official Click Post website as of September 19, 2026, Click Post rates, size limits, weight limits, and drop-off methods will change starting October 1, 2026. The key changes are as follows:

• Rate: 185 yen → 240 yen (both tax-inclusive, nationwide flat rate)
• Size limit: Longest side 34 cm, shortest side 25 cm, thickness 3 cm → Total dimensions within 60 cm, longest side within 34 cm, and must be droppable into a post box
• Weight limit: 1 kg → 2 kg
• Drop-off method: Post box or post office counter → Post box only in principle (counter drop-offs subject to exception criteria)
• Old rate cutoff: Transactions with payment completed by September 30 at 23:30 (scheduled) receive the old rate
• Service outage: September 30 from 23:30 to October 1 at 6:00 (scheduled). The site cannot be accessed during downtime, and the resumption time may vary

All of these changes have been officially announced, but have not yet taken effect as of now. This article outlines the key points to check and operational decisions to make for stores using Click Post on Shopify. For the overall shipping workflow itself, see our Shopify x Click Post Shipping Guide.

What Is Changing from October

Based on the announcements as of September 19, 2026, here is a comparison of the conditions before and after the revision.

Details of this revision were released across three separate announcements rather than a single update. Understanding what was established in each announcement makes it easier to verify official information later on.

• July 3: Japan Post announced the Revision of Base Rates for Yu-Pack and Yu-Packet, outlining policies for Click Post rates, sizes, weight limits, and drop-off methods
• August 21: The Click Post Drop-Off Methods Starting October 1 notice was published, clarifying exception criteria for dropping off parcels at post office counters
• September 16: The Official Click Post Website posted the notice "Regarding Rate Revisions and System Maintenance," finalizing payment deadlines and outage schedules

Current conditions can be verified on the Japan Post Service Guide, though it still reflects pre-revision terms as of September 19. When looking up conditions for October onwards, refer to the three announcements listed above first.

Other postal services will also undergo revisions on the same date. These are important points to review when considering alternative shipping methods.

• Yu-Packet: Base rates change from thickness-based tiers (up to 1 cm at 250 yen, up to 2 cm at 310 yen, up to 3 cm at 360 yen) to a flat 360 yen
• Yu-Pack: An average rate revision of about 10% (e.g. from the new rate table: size 60, intra-prefecture at 840 yen)
• Letter Pack: Letter Pack Plus at 600 yen and Letter Pack Light at 430 yen, with no changes announced as of September 19, 2026

You May Not Be Able to Keep Using Your Usual Packaging

At first glance, the size and weight limits seem more relaxed, but because the evaluation criteria are changing, it does not simply mean you can ship any larger package. Check your measurements against the standard packaging materials your store uses every day.

Check Total Dimensions, Not Just Weight

Calculating from the published figures reveals that boxes previously used at the maximum allowable limits may no longer comply under the new rules. For example, the current maximum dimensions of 34 x 25 x 3 cm total 62 cm across three sides, exceeding the new total limit of 60 cm. Note that this is a mathematical explanation based on the published figures, not the result of Japan Post testing individual boxes.

On the other hand, packages previously disqualified for exceeding 3 cm in thickness could potentially fall within the numerical limits under the new rules. For instance, if a packed parcel measures 30 x 23 x 4 cm with a total weight of 1.5 kg, its total dimensions are 57 cm with a longest side of 30 cm, placing it within the new numerical limits (under current standards, it exceeds both thickness and weight limits).

Here, "within limits" refers strictly to a comparison against numerical maximums. It does not guarantee acceptance, which also depends on minimum dimensions, contents, packaging regulations, and the physical constraints of post box slots. When measuring, always check the outer dimensions and total weight of the fully packed parcel, rather than the standalone item or box interior dimensions. For detailed size examples and packaging verification steps, see Click Post Thickness Limits and Verifying New Sizes.

Distinguishing Post Box Droppability from Counter Exceptions

The new size conditions include the requirement that the parcel must be droppable into a post box. Even if your package meets the numerical limits, you must separately verify whether it physically fits into the post box you use. Detailed specifications for usable post box types and slot dimensions are still pending official detailed guidance, so it cannot yet be definitively claimed that any specific box design will always fit.

Drop-off methods are also changing: starting October, shipments are post box drop-off only in principle. Dropping off at a post office counter is permitted only for parcels that meet one of the following three conditions AND are 3 cm or less in thickness:

1. When the post box cannot be used because it is full, out of order, etc.
2. When dropping off a volume expected to exceed what can be deposited at once
3. When total dimensions and the longest side fall within limits, but the post box slot width is insufficient

In other words, if a package exceeding 3 cm in thickness does not fit into a post box, it cannot be accepted at a post office counter either. You will need to either redesign your packaging or switch to a different shipping method. For detailed criteria on handling packages that do not fit and when counter drop-offs are allowed, see When Click Post Can Be Dropped at the Counter vs. Post Box Decisions.

Store Decisions to Finalize During September

While the policy changes originate with Japan Post, decisions regarding packaging materials, drop-off operations, and shipping rates charged to customers must be made by each merchant. Separating postal policy changes from store-level pricing decisions helps prevent overlooked details in your preparation.

• Packaging materials: Re-measure the outer dimensions of your current boxes and envelopes after packing to find the sum of their three sides. If any of your standard packaging exceeds 60 cm in total, evaluate alternative sizes and decide when to make the switch
• Drop-off locations: Stores that previously brought packages to a post office counter should plan to transition to dropping them in nearby post boxes or confirm whether their shipments meet the exception criteria
• Shipping rate display: The postal rate increases by 55 yen (240 - 185 yen) per parcel. For a store shipping 100 packages a month, a simple comparison of tax-inclusive postage translates to a cost increase of 5,500 yen per month (calculated by package count, not order count). Whether to absorb this difference, adjust the shipping rates charged to customers, revise free-shipping thresholds, or adjust product prices is up to each store. For guidance on running these calculations, see Preparing to Review Shipping Cost Burden
• Cutover day operations: The payment cutoff for the old rate is September 30 at 23:30 (scheduled), immediately followed by a site outage until 6:00 (scheduled) the next morning. How to sort unprocessed orders before the system maintenance window is covered in Shipping Preparation for September 30 to October 1
• Shopify shipping settings: If you adjust shipping rates charged to customers or change free-shipping conditions, you will need to update shipping profiles and verify checkout/cart displays. For detailed configuration steps, see the Shopify Shipping Settings Guide

Choosing Detailed Guides Based on Your Store's Challenges

This article serves as an overview of the revision. Detailed procedures are organized across dedicated articles for each specific topic. Choose which items to check and which guides to read based on your store's current setup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. When does the Click Post revision take effect?

It takes effect on October 1, 2026. According to announcements by Japan Post and the official Click Post website, transactions with payment completed by September 30 at 23:30 (scheduled) will be charged the old rate of 185 yen. The service will be suspended for system maintenance from 23:30 on the same day until October 1 at 6:00 (scheduled). Official notices state that the resumption time may vary.

Q. Which items are changing in the October revision?

As of announcements made by September 19, 2026, four items are changing: the rate increases from 185 yen to 240 yen (both tax-inclusive, nationwide flat rate); the size limit becomes total dimensions (sum of 3 sides) within 60 cm, longest side within 34 cm, and droppable into a post box; the weight limit increases from 1 kg to 2 kg; and the drop-off method becomes post box drop-off only in principle (counter drop-offs are restricted to specific exception criteria).

Q. Is a Shopify app required to use Click Post?

No, it is not required. Click Post is a registration-based service by Japan Post, and applications, payments, and label printing can all be handled entirely on the official website. While some merchants use shipping apps to eliminate repetitive tasks—such as generating application CSVs from Shopify orders or registering issued tracking numbers to orders—an app is not required to adapt to this revision.

Q. Are Yu-Packet and Letter Pack also changing in October?

On the same day, Yu-Packet base rates will be unified into a flat 360 yen from thickness-tiered pricing (up to 1 cm at 250 yen, up to 2 cm at 310 yen, up to 3 cm at 360 yen), and Yu-Pack has also announced rate revisions averaging about 10% (e.g., size 60, intra-prefecture at 840 yen). Letter Pack remains 600 yen for Plus and 430 yen for Light, with no changes announced as of September 19, 2026.

Q. Can orders received by September 30 be shipped at the old rate of 185 yen?

Eligibility is determined not by when the order was received on Shopify, but by the time payment is completed on the Click Post platform. Transactions where payment is completed by September 30 at 23:30 (scheduled) will be charged the old rate of 185 yen. Even for orders already received, if payment passes the cutoff, the new rate of 240 yen applies, so consider processing shipments scheduled around September 30 as early as possible.

Summary

The October 1, 2026 revision changes four elements: rates, sizes, weight, and drop-off methods. The rate rises from 185 yen to 240 yen, size criteria change to total dimensions of 60 cm and longest side within 34 cm, and drop-offs become post box only in principle. Having clear policies set during September for four questions—"Will our boxes fit?", "Where will we drop off?", "What will we charge for shipping?", and "What needs to be done on cutover day?"—will ensure a smooth transition.

Announcement confirmation date: September 19, 2026. Sourced from Japan Post's July 3 announcement, August 21 drop-off method notice, the Official Click Post Website notice on September 16, and the Japan Post Service Guide.

While an app is not strictly required to adapt to the revisions, if the administrative burden of shipping tasks—such as creating application CSVs or registering tracking numbers back to orders—is a bottleneck for your store, you can explore the differences compared to manual processing in our overview of tools to streamline Click Post shipping.

Related Reading

• Shopify x Click Post Shipping Guide — For those who want to review the full workflow, from order application to tracking number registration
• Click Post Thickness Limits and Verifying New Sizes — For those who want to verify whether packed dimensions meet the new criteria
• When Click Post Can Be Dropped at the Counter vs. Post Box Decisions — For those who want to know the rules when packages do not fit in a post box or when counter service is needed
• Shipping Preparation Checklist for September 30 to October 1 — For those who need to organize tasks around the payment cutoff and maintenance downtime
• Reviewing Shipping Cost Burden from Package Volume — For those who want to calculate how to handle the rate increase
• Shopify Shipping Settings Guide — For those reviewing their customer shipping rates and free-shipping conditions