The Physical Internet Academy of Japan (PIAJ) held its inaugural meeting on 8 October 2026 at Waseda University in Tokyo, bringing together approximately 25 participants from academia, industry and public institutions. The initiative aims to advance Physical Internet research, support practical implementation and strengthen international cooperation, including knowledge exchange with European logistics stakeholders.
The meeting marked an important milestone for PIAJ, established in June 2026 to strengthen the academic foundations of Physical Internet development in Japan.
Professor Shunichi Ohmori of Waseda University and Professor Takayuki Mori, Professor Emeritus at the University of Marketing and Distribution Sciences, co-lead the Academy. Professor Eric Ballot of Mines Paris serves as Special Advisor and contributed a video message to the inaugural meeting.
Both Professor Mori and Professor Ballot are members of the IKIGAI Physical Internet (PI) Ambassadors community, which supports international knowledge exchange and engagement around Physical Internet implementation.
Supporting Physical Internet research and implementation in Japan
Japan is advancing its Physical Internet roadmap to address logistics challenges, including labour shortages, operational inefficiencies and freight transport decarbonisation.
PIAJ aims to connect academic research with the practical needs of the logistics sector. Its planned activities include collaborative research, specialist working groups, academic publications, policy recommendations and international cooperation.
The inaugural meeting reflected this practical orientation. Associate Professor Tomoya Kawasaki of the University of Tokyo presented research on evaluating the benefits of Physical Internet implementation, while Kazuya Takeda of Ryoma Supply Chain Partners addressed the potential of virtual roll-ups among SMEs.
The Academy complements the work of the Japan Physical Internet Center (JPIC), which focuses on industry-oriented implementation. Together, these complementary roles demonstrate the importance of connecting research, innovation and operational experience when developing collaborative logistics networks.
Strengthening international Physical Internet cooperation
International collaboration is one of PIAJ’s stated priorities. The inaugural programme included a keynote presentation by Professor Mori on global Physical Internet trends and emerging challenges for Japan and Asia, alongside an address by a representative of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).
According to Japanese logistics industry reporting, the METI address also acknowledged the contribution of European research organisations, including ALICE, to the concepts informing Japan’s Physical Internet roadmap.
This development demonstrates the relevance of exchanging knowledge between regions working towards more collaborative and interoperable logistics systems. Through its international PI Ambassadors community, IKIGAI contributes to this exchange of expertise and experience.
Research collaboration across regions can help address common implementation challenges and contribute to more efficient and decarbonised logistics systems.
Shared priorities for Physical Internet implementation
The launch of PIAJ aligns with IKIGAI’s efforts to scale logistics innovations and support interoperable Physical Internet services through initiatives such as the PI Norm. By promoting research, knowledge exchange and international cooperation, PIAJ could create further opportunities to share experiences, identify common implementation barriers and explore approaches to standardisation and innovation scaling.
The involvement of Professor Takayuki Mori and Professor Eric Ballot, both IKIGAI PI Ambassadors, strengthens the exchange of expertise between European and Japanese research and logistics communities. While PIAJ and IKIGAI are separate initiatives, their complementary activities highlight the value of connecting academic research, industry needs and practical implementation to advance the Physical Internet.
The launch of the Physical Internet Academy of Japan reinforces the importance of international knowledge exchange in moving towards more collaborative, interoperable and decarbonised logistics.
Further information
The official Physical Internet Academy of Japan (PIAJ) website is scheduled to launch on 28 October 2026, providing a dedicated platform for information about the Academy and its activities.
Website: https://piaj.jp/
IPIC 2026 webinar III Artificial Intelligence Applications for the Physical Internet
The third IPIC 2026 webinar explored how AI can support the Physical Internet through data-driven decision-making, adaptive collaboration and shared logistics planning. Organised with ALICE, IKIGAI and KEDGE Business School, the session highlighted practical approaches to more collaborative, efficient and zero-emission urban logistics systems, demonstrating how AI can help operationalise Physical Internet principles in real-world logistics networks.
Webinar Physical Internet applications for containerised consolidation on public transport
Webinar explored Physical Internet applications for integrating freight into public transport, co-organised by IKIGAI, ALICE, DISCO, Shift2Zero and URBANE, highlighting urban and rural logistics improvements and emission reduction potential.
Strengthening global collaboration to advance the Physical Internet
The transition toward Physical Internet–enabled logistics is accelerating globally. The EU-funded IKIGAI project contributes by translating strategic vision into practical implementation through innovation, piloting and international cooperation supporting collaborative, interoperable and sustainable logistics networks.
Project coordinator
ikigai@fitconsulting.it
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101202912. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the granting authority. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible
