Observations from My Visit to Qingdao and Shanghai

Hello, this is Takahiro Ichiki from Sync Logistics. In mid-April, I had the opportunity to visit Qingdao and Shanghai on a business trip. I’d like to share some reflections from that visit, which left a strong impression on me both professionally and personally.

■ Seeing One of the World’s Largest Ports Up Close

My first destination was Qingdao, a major port city on China’s eastern coast.
The sheer scale of the port was astonishing. It handles roughly 1.3 times the total container volume of all ports in Japan combined, based on 2023 figures.

Looking out over the port, I saw an endless row of gantry cranes—many of them remotely operated or fully automated. This high level of automation allows the port to run continuously, day and night, with minimal manpower.

It was a clear reminder that China’s logistics infrastructure is shaped by intense global competition and a strong focus on efficiency.

■A Logistics Environment with Different Values

In Shanghai, I spoke with a local logistics manager who leads a sizeable team.
She mentioned that her own annual income is around 40,000,000 yen, and that each of her more than 20 team members earns over 10,000,000 yen.

This level of compensation is far beyond what is currently typical in the logistics industry in Japan.
Rather than viewing it purely as a reflection of economic conditions, I saw it as evidence of the high added value being generated—and a workplace culture that rewards clear results.

■ What We Aim to Build at Sync Logistics

This trip offered valuable insight into how logistics is evolving in China.
At the same time, it reaffirmed my belief that Sync Logistics should not seek to imitate that model, but rather to learn from it and apply what’s relevant in a way that suits our identity.

Our goal is to continue building a style of logistics that reflects the strengths of Japanese quality and service, while adopting forward-thinking practices from around the world.

Thank you very much for reading.