The Letterpack Plus and Letterpack Lite are envelopes than can be used to mail A4-size documents and other items anywhere in Japan. Their delivery can be tracked through the Japan Post website with a tracking number.
Make sure to remove or take a photo of the tracking number sticker before mailing the Letterpack.
The most important difference between the two is that the Letterpack Plus is hand-delivered to its recipient while the Letterpack Lite is dropped into the mailbox.
Letterpack Plus (レターパックプラス)
Easily recognizable by its red color and the number 520 (for ¥520) on its label, this is the standard envelope to mail important documents.
Because it is delivered personally to its recipient and not dropped into the mailbox, you would use this instead of the Letterpack Lite to mail items like important company documents, passports, residence cards, etc.
The Letterpack Plus has no limits on its thickness, so people have used it to mail irregularly shaped items that are more than 3cm thick.
The Philippine Embassy in Tokyo requires a self-addressed Letterpack Plus to mail items like passports and legal documents to applicants.
Letterpack Lite (レターパックライト)
Cheaper than the Letterpack Plus, the Letterpack Lite is recognizable by its blue color and the number 370 (for ¥370) on its label.
It is somewhat less secure than the Letterpack Plus as the package is dropped into the mailbox and not personally delivered to the recipient, so you would use this to mail relatively unimportant items.
The Letterpack Lite has a thickness limit of 3cm.
Letterpack Plus vs Letterpack Lite
Below are the main differences of the Letterpack Plus and Letterpack Lite in a table.
| Letterpack Plus | Letterpack Lite | |
|---|---|---|
| Color | Red | Blue |
| Price | ¥520 | ¥370 |
| Size | 340×248mm | 340×248mm |
| Weight | Up to 4kg | Up to 4kg |
| Thickness | No limit | Up to 3cm |
| Delivery method | Personal delivery | Mailbox drop |
| Request collection | Possible | Not possible |
| Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Loss/damage compensation | None | None |
How to prepare the Letterpack
Click here to read how to prepare the Letterpack before submitting to the Philippine Embassy or Consulate for passport renewal or other consular services.