Between an increasingly interconnected world and the convenience of online shopping, the demand for digital purchases will only continue to grow, and Asia is no exception. As part of its continued expansion efforts worldwide, Amazon is rolling out new initiatives in the region, starting with a new fulfilment centre in Japan.
Mitsubishi Estate’s LOGICROSS Nagoya Minato facility is set to be the largest fulfilment centre in western Japan, spanning 125,000 square metres with a storage capacity of about 1.37 million cubic feet. A joint effort between Amazon and Mitsubishi Estate, it aims to be the first building in the country to receive Zero Carbon Certification from Living Future – the first Zero Carbon third-party certified standard worldwide – with several sustainable building technologies.
These include the use of a geothermal heat pump that maintains comfortable heating and cooling temperatures while running on 30 percent less energy than conventional systems; vertical solar panels, which can produce a maximum power output of 5.5 megawatts (and making it one of Amazon’s largest onsite solar arrays outside of the U.S); and lower-carbon concrete for the foundation and office areas during construction. A rainwater storage system also utilises collected rainwater for restrooms and other facilities, with water usage expected to drop by approximately 40 percent.
The space is due to open in August, joining over 25 other fulfilment centres across the country. Announced separately during the Delivering the Future event in Tokyo, an in-person tour for its Chiba Minato Fulfilment Centre is coming later this year, though a specific window was not given. Like existing Amazon Tours programmes in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, France, Germany, and Italy, participation is free, with the experience focusing on the behind-the-scenes processes of handling and packing before delivery.
“We’ve been in Japan for 25 years, so we have a long history in this country,” shares Nick Boone-Lutz, head of Amazon Tours, in a Q&A with Geek Culture and select Australian media. “[The Chiba Minato Fulfilment Centre] is an incredible place to show off – in terms of the investments and the business it has made in technology – and we have a lot of passionate customers here who are excited; we’ve been getting requests from customers in Japan who asked for tours for a long time.”
Closer to home, the delivery powerhouse will bring the tour to public fulfilment centres in Delhi and Bengaluru starting Q4 of 2025. Lasting 45 minutes to an hour, each session will begin with a video about Amazon’s history and evolution in the country, followed by a guided walk through the facility, where various technologies are seen in action. Safety measures like heat monitoring, medical facilities, air-conditioned breakrooms and development opportunities for employees and associates are also covered.
“We’ve built India’s fastest, safest, and most reliable operations network, and now we’re excited to give people a chance to see it firsthand,” said Abhinav Singh, Vice-President of Operations India and Australia. “These tours offer visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the technology and people working together to deliver for customers every day.”
To date, the Amazon Tours programme has registered two million visitors from more than 35 locations in select countries. The India launch marks Asia’s first and will run three times weekly at both the Delhi and Bengaluru fulfilment centres once open, accommodating up to 20 participants per session. Online registration for interested parties is due later this year.
There are currently over 300 fulfilment centres globally, designed to store millions of products, process customer orders, and ship them daily. Bengaluru houses the biggest facility in India, spanning over two million cubic feet of storage space – roughly the capacity of 800 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Kevin Low
Yonk
