So I got some important papers to send to Yokosuka.  You can't send U.S. Express Mail between bases overseas, and I totally don't trust MPS, so I got to ITT & they say "No problem, send it overnight by JP Express."  800 yen, cheap cheap. 

That was on Dec 21 (remember, this is "overnight.")  Here we are, 30 December, and guess what -- no delivery in Yokosuka!  I trace the envelope through JP Express, and they said "It was delivered to the Yokosuka base post office 23 December, 8:45 AM. We got a signature."

I talk to a very helpful clerk at the Yokosuka post office who says there's no way to tell what happened to my stuff, there is no log kept of express items received.  However, after talking it through we realize my recipient's sponsor works at the hospital which apparently has their own mailroom, own PSC, and separate PO boxes. Therefore, any JP Express package would have been sent directly to the hospital mailroom.

I talk to the LPO there who tries to help.  He knows my recipient, but has no undelivered Japanese mail.  Sorry, can't help. 

So... I'm out my 800 yen, lost my papers (yes, I kept copies cuz I mistrusted the system from the beginning), lost 10 days, and no one is accountable other than JP Express who has a signature from the Post Office. They are faxing it to me here in 'kuni and maybe it'll be legible, maybe not.  But still... Is it customary to misplace express mail up there?  What gives?  Why didn't it go directly to the intended PO box? 

All rhetorical questions, I totally don't expect an answer, I felt the distinct need to rant, and I will say that the 2 people I spoke to were very helpful to the limits of their ability and at least were sympathetic.  If nothing else, I appreciate their positive attitude.  Just wish my package had been delivered and it makes you wonder: Where is it at this moment?  With the recipients name & PO box clearly labeled, yet apparently ignored in some corner of someone's mailroom.  Frustrating.

When I have to do this I always include the building number and command, it seems to work.

JP Express said they would only deliver to an FPO or Japanese address. They've had bad experiences attempting delivery to physical addresses on base so they wouldn't accept under those terms. In retrospect, I should have had my friend provide an address off base (even though he lives on base.) I'd be about 100% confident that the package would have gotten through if we had avoided going through the post office on base.

I mail items all the time through MPS in flat rate boxes and I have never had an issue I do place delivery confirmation on them though which helps track them.

I have had issues with stateside USPS items being lost forever.

You mean you use the post office Priority Mail flat rate boxes and send them for free? They wouldn't let me do that here. They said if I use their boxes boxes I had to pay for priority mail, and there is no priority mail service between overseas FPOs. That's why I ended up using a Japanese delivery service.

BTW, JP Express sent me the proof-of-delivery to the Yokosuka base post office. Unfortunately, it's just a date/time stamp, but no signature. So everyone up there has deniable culpability, and no telling where my package ended up. The more I think about this, the more steamed I get. I can only imagine it was delivered to the wrong person, and wouldn't you think they would see the recipient name on the front and give it back to the postal clerk? There was nothing valuable inside (documents & a data disc).

Fortunately, everything in the package can be replaced; it's just a huge pain and I thought by paying for trackable shipping I would have avoided this problem, but I guess not.

I pay to send them because that's the only way you can add delivery confirmation on them. (The same people handle the packages between FPO-APO's and it doesn't travel any faster I just pay because I want the delivery confirmation which can be tracked online) I don't think it makes it any safer or secure but I have never had an issue with that method. If I wasn't sending items valued around 300.00 and up I would just MPS them for free.

I think for a small box with delivery confirmation it runs about 5.90 each time.

I personally would have used black cat delivery if that was an option...two day delivery from here to Sasebo...perhaps shorter from your area...they are all over base and have access...
hope your package arrives soon

Well, to close this issue out, my package got delivered today. It only took 13 days for my overnight delivery, but I'm pleased that it finally made it. I suspect someone at the hospital mailroom dug it out of a hidey-hole somewhere. :-)
//rant resolved//

Thai,
It's wintertime, nights are longer. Happy new year.

So in the end it did arrive over night, it was just last night.

I just read the shipping label more carefully, and realized my mistake: It said "over fortnight." So it was actually a day early. Thanks, guys!

Yamato Takyubin and Sagawa are the best to get things delivered domestically base-to-base.  I have used this method several times and at most it took three days.  Door-to-door at that...  You just have to give them the base's Japanese address along with building number and POC info (Name/Phone).  Blackcat (Yamato) has full access to most of the bases and Sagawa just needs to get a pass.  FedEx is great for delivery from the US to your door on base, but for some reason they wouldn't do it domestically in Japan.

Posted By ThaiGuy on 01-03-2012 8:45 PM
I just read the shipping label more carefully, and realized my mistake: It said "over fortnight." So it was actually a day early. Thanks, guys!