Nakamura Logistics

What Nakamura Logistics does

Nakamura Logistics Co., Ltd. (株式会社ナカムラロジスティクス) is a privately held Japanese food-logistics specialist founded in 1919 as Nakamura-gumi at Tokyo Port and continuously owned and led by the founding Nakamura family, with Nakamura Goki as Representative Director and President Executive Officer since 1994. The company provides end-to-end cold-chain logistics for food importers, exporters, and manufacturers — covering ocean and air freight forwarding, AEO-certified customs brokerage, bonded multi-temperature warehousing (frozen, chilled, ambient), port and warehouse cargo handling, and domestic trunk and last-mile delivery between Tokyo, Kawasaki, Osaka, and Fukuoka. Group cold-storage capacity totals approximately 77,000+ tons across owned facilities, with the Nakamura Niyaku port-handling subsidiary alone handling over 5,000 tons of imported frozen food daily using a 600+ person workforce operating across 50+ port locations.

Underlying technology is built around three proprietary in-house systems: the NLI Distribution Core System (NLI配送基幹システム) for consolidated multi-node information management, a Warehouse LAN System with Full Location Management and mobile rack storage for real-time inventory, and N-LiTSS, the core business system deployed since 2010. Quality management is governed by an internal N-QMS framework (replacing ISO 9001 external certification voluntarily returned in 2013). Customer-facing sales representatives act as command centers coordinating documentation, customs, warehousing, and delivery across departments, with custom-quoted pricing per shipment rather than standardized rate cards.

Revenue is generated through five streams: international freight forwarding (transaction fees), customs clearance (professional services fees from AEO-certified brokerage), warehousing and storage (subscription/recurring storage and handling fees), domestic transportation and delivery (transaction fees), and cargo handling through Nakamura Niyaku (transaction fees). The company serves food importers/exporters and food manufacturers/processors as its primary segments, with a secondary push into e-commerce and retail fulfillment. Internationally, Nakamura Logistics operates 13 wholly-owned offices across five countries — the US (Seattle via NAKAMURA (U.S.A.), INC. since 1990; Los Angeles via NAX (U.S.A.) since 1998), South Korea (Busan via NAKAMURA KOREA since 2000), China (Qingdao via NAX (CHINA) plus Shanghai, Weihai, and Shenzhen branches), Hong Kong (NAX (HONG KONG)), Australia (Sydney via NAX (Australia) since 1999), and Thailand (Bangkok representative office opened 2015) — supplemented by Japanese-Chinese JVs in Qingdao for cold-chain capacity. Primary geography remains Japan, where services are delivered through wholly-owned logistics centers and a direct sales-led GTM targeting enterprise food accounts.

Name

Nakamura Logistics

Legal name

株式会社ナカムラロジスティクス

Website

https://nli.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Nakamura Logistics is a Japanese privately held food cold-chain logistics provider founded in 1919, offering integrated ocean freight forwarding, AEO-certified customs clearance, multi-temperature bonded warehousing, cargo handling, and domestic distribution to food importers, exporters, and manufacturers across Japan and twelve overseas locations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cold Chain Logistics Services

NAICS

Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage (493120), Deep Sea Freight Transportation (483111), Transportation and Warehousing (48-49)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Public Warehousing & Storage (4220)

akta.pro primary industry

Food & Beverage Cold Chain Logistics (Fresh, Chilled, Frozen) (TLAIAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cold Chain Asset-Based Logistics (Reefer Fleet & Temp-Control Facilities) (TLAIAMAF), Pharmaceutical Cold-Chain Delivery (2–8°C / CRT) (TLAAAJAC)

Keywords

• Cold chain logistics
• Food logistics services
• International freight forwarding
• Customs brokerage services
• Temperature-controlled warehousing

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. International Freight Forwarding (海上貨物輸出入業務): Ocean freight import/export services covering documentation, customs, container arrangement, and air freight coordination. Revenue generated through freight fees, customs brokerage, and related service charges.
2. Customs Clearance Services (通関業務): Full spectrum customs clearance including customs declaration, regulatory compliance (quarantine, animal/plant inspection), and inspection coordination. AEO-certified customs broker status supports expedited processing.
3. Warehouse & Storage (倉庫業務): Cold storage services across multiple temperature zones (frozen, chilled, ambient) with location management. Revenue from storage fees, handling charges, and value-added services like picking and e-commerce/fulfillment.
4. Domestic Transportation & Delivery (輸配送業務): Last-mile and trunk delivery services connecting Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka. Revenue from transportation fees, with services including container transport, truck delivery, and just-in-time delivery.
5. Cargo Handling Services (荷役業務): Loading and unloading services for frozen foods and food ingredients, from light products to heavy food materials. Services provided through subsidiary Nakamura Niyaku Corporation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Nakamura Logistics provides end-to-end food cold-chain logistics services for food importers, exporters, and manufacturers, including international ocean and air freight forwarding, AEO-certified customs brokerage, temperature-controlled warehousing (frozen, chilled, and ambient), port cargo handling, and domestic trunk and last-mile delivery. Its domestic logistics network spans Tokyo, Kawasaki, Osaka, and Fukuoka with 77,000+ tons of cold storage capacity, complemented by 13 overseas subsidiaries across the US, Korea, China, Hong Kong, Australia, and ASEAN.

Product overview

Nakamura Logistics operates as a comprehensive food logistics platform with three core service pillars: international freight forwarding (ocean and air), customs brokerage (AEO-certified), and domestic warehousing/distribution. The main company (株式会社ナカムラロジスティクス) coordinates a multi-tier service portfolio including proprietary logistics centers (浮島, 大井, 福岡) with frozen/chilled/ambient storage capabilities, a proprietary NLI delivery management system, and group subsidiaries for specialized functions. Group companies include 中村荷役 (port cargo handling, 600 employees, 50+ locations), 大阪水产運輸 (Osaka port operations), NAX JAPAN (air freight), and NAKAMURA (U.S.A.) (North American forwarding). The architecture integrates customs clearance, bonded storage, multi-temperature warehousing, and last-mile delivery as a unified service chain.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ocean Freight Import/Export (海上貨物輸出入) International trade services for food products, handling import/export procedures through ports in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Osaka, and Fukuoka, supported by AEO-certified customs procedures and multi-country economic partnership expertise. Targeted at food importers and exporters.
• Warehouse/Storage (倉庫/保管) Temperature-controlled storage services covering frozen (-25°C to -18°C), chilled (0°C to 10°C), and ambient temperature zones with LAN-based location management and expiration date tracking capabilities. Includes bonded warehouse approval at Ukishima and Oi facilities.
• Cargo Handling (荷役) Port and warehouse cargo handling operations for frozen food products, from light packaged goods to heavy food ingredients, supported by skilled personnel training programs. Provided through subsidiary Nakamura Niyaku Corporation.
• Customs Clearance (通関) Full-service customs brokerage including tariff declaration, quarantine and inspection arrangements for agricultural, livestock, and marine products, operating as an AEO-certified customs broker recognized by Tokyo Customs.
• Transportation/Delivery (輸配送) Domestic distribution services featuring the '3 Works' approach: Net Work (centralized information management), Foot Work (local delivery vehicles), and Team Work (cross-branch coordination) for just-in-time delivery across Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka trunk routes.
• Frozen, Chilled, and E-commerce Logistics (冷凍・冷蔵・通販物流) Specialized frozen, chilled, and e-commerce fulfillment logistics services addressing diverse needs for online retailers, supermarkets, and gift/hampers businesses requiring temperature-controlled delivery.
• Air Freight Handling (via NAX JAPAN) Air cargo import/export handling services at Narita and Kansai airports, providing 24/7 operations for high-value, time-sensitive food shipments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Handling over 5,000 tons of imported frozen food daily through the group
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered supporting.

• JR Freight Group (JR貨物グループ)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000Partnership with JR Freight Group initiated in 2000 to launch Japan's first service transporting frozen marine containers by rail using generator-equipped containers. This intermodal service combines sea and rail transport for frozen cargo, improving environmental efficiency and reliability for long-distance frozen distribution.
• GLOBAL STAR SHIPPINGsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration in South Korea with GLOBAL STAR SHIPPING for cold cargo international delivery services from Busan. The partnership provides produce inspection and purchasing support for customers, and cargo security services including cargo tracking and safety assurance. Nakamura Korea operates from Busan as a hub for Russian and North American seafood distribution.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Nippon Express Holdings: Japan's largest logistics conglomerate with global operations and growing cold chain capabilities. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering overlapping international freight forwarding, warehousing, and domestic distribution, though Nakamura is more specialized in food cold chain.
• Kuehne+Nagel International AG: Global top-3 freight forwarder with significant cold chain logistics ('KN CoolChain') and perishables forwarding. Comparable for international cold chain forwarding, customs brokerage, and integrated food logistics services.
• Kintetsu World Express (KWE): Major Japanese-headquartered global logistics provider with strong international freight forwarding and air cargo capabilities. Comparable for ocean/air freight forwarding and customs brokerage services targeting similar food and temperature-sensitive cargo customers.
• Yusen Logistics: Global logistics provider owned by Nippon Yusen Kaisha with international freight forwarding and contract logistics capabilities. Comparable for cross-border food logistics and supply chain solutions, though broader in scope than Nakamura's food-specialized cold chain focus.
• Hitachi Transport System (LOGISTEED): Large Japanese 3PL provider with global contract logistics, forwarding, and warehousing capabilities. Comparable for end-to-end supply chain solutions including temperature-controlled distribution for food and pharmaceutical customers.

Regional players

• Lineage Logistics: World's largest temperature-controlled warehouse operator with massive cold storage footprint globally. Comparable for cold chain infrastructure and temperature-controlled logistics, though primarily focused on North America and Europe rather than Asia.

Direct peers

• Seino Holdings: Major Japanese trucking and logistics group with extensive domestic distribution network. Comparable for trunk transport, last-mile delivery, and warehousing services to Japanese food and consumer goods customers.
• Senko Group Holdings: Japanese logistics company with significant warehousing, distribution, and international forwarding operations. Comparable for domestic logistics network, multi-temperature warehousing, and food industry customer base in Japan.
• Yokorei Co., Ltd. Japan's largest publicly listed refrigerated warehouse operator with extensive cold storage capacity nationwide. Directly comparable as a domestic cold chain specialist serving food importers, manufacturers, and retailers with similar temperature-controlled storage and distribution services.
• Konoike Transport: Japanese logistics company with strong presence in food, pharmaceutical, and chemicals logistics including cold chain capabilities. Comparable for specialized domestic logistics, warehousing, and serving food industry customers across Japan.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nakamura-usa-inc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nakamura Logistics