Trial of "Hands-Free Sightseeing Service" Begins ~First Initiative by a Bank Branch in Japan~

Mitsubishi UFJ Bank (President and CEO Masakazu Osawa), a consolidated subsidiary of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (Representative Executive Officer and President Junichi Hanzawa, hereinafter MUFG), and Sagawa Express Co., Ltd. (President and CEO Kimiaki Sasamori, hereinafter Sagawa Express) have decided to conduct a trial of a "hands-free sightseeing service" (hereinafter, this trial) within the Mitsubishi UFJ Bank Kyoto Branch (Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture).

This trial aims to solve social issues centered on so-called overtourism, such as traffic congestion and the burden of carrying luggage, which have become serious due to the increase in foreign visitors to Japan. In addition, by providing services at "Shijo Karasuma," the center of Kyoto tourism, considering the convenience of travelers, we aim to achieve both the resolution of social issues and the capture of inbound demand. Towards realizing "hands-free sightseeing," which allows for easy movement, through an unprecedented inter-industry partnership between logistics and banking, we aim to contribute to the local community in a new style by improving the comfort of tourism and alleviating traffic congestion for local residents.

1. Details of this trial

Mitsubishi UFJ Bank Kyoto Branch (10 Naginatoboko-cho, Higashi-iru, Shijo-dori Karasuma, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture)

Due to the rapid increase in foreign visitors to Japan, congestion caused by carrying large luggage has occurred at stations and tourist spots in Kyoto City, making movement difficult. This leads to a decrease in traveler satisfaction, and local residents also experience difficulty boarding buses and trains, which are their daily means of transportation. To address these issues, Sagawa Express and Mitsubishi UFJ Bank are tackling this trial by opening a "hands-free sightseeing service" base, "KYOTO Travel Satellite (tentative name)," within the Mitsubishi UFJ Bank Kyoto Branch, as a solution leveraging the strengths of logistics and banking.

In this trial, travelers can not only use financial services such as ATM cash withdrawals at the bank branch but also simultaneously use "SAGAWA Hands-Free Service" provided by Sagawa Express, which includes temporary luggage storage and luggage delivery to their next destination. This significantly improves convenience by allowing travelers to complete multiple services in one place.

Furthermore, this initiative will verify the potential of a new store model that effectively utilizes space within bank branches to provide financial and logistics services in an integrated manner.

2. Future Development

This trial will confirm convenience and demand, and clarify issues for the practical implementation of the service. Sagawa Express and Mitsubishi UFJ Bank will consider building a new model that contributes to resolving overtourism and capturing inbound demand by utilizing their nationwide logistics infrastructure and branch network.

In the future, it is expected to contribute to improving the convenience of travelers, including foreign visitors to Japan, as well as alleviating congestion in public transportation and reducing the burden on accommodation facilities, local businesses, and local residents.