Evaluate location relative to major highways, ports, and airports; warehouse capacity and racking systems; picking accuracy and WMS integration; inbound/outbound carrier connectivity; value‑added services (kitting, returns); SLA performance metrics and scalability to handle seasonal peaks.

Locations near Kumamoto Port and the Kyushu Expressway reduce truck miles and handling steps, lowering last‑mile costs and transit times across Kyushu. Proximity to short‑sea services and nearby airports also shortens export lead times to Korea and western Japan, improving cost-to-serve for cross-border and regional shipments.

Look for bonded/ customs-friendly facilities, temperature-controlled zones, high bay racking, dedicated MHE (forklifts, reach trucks), security and insurance, quality control stations, and experience with cross-docking and bulk breakdown to streamline manufacturing-to-customer flows.

Kumamoto typically offers lower land and rental rates and competitive labor costs versus Tokyo/Osaka, which reduces fixed warehousing expense. Local incentives and industrial zones can further lower setup costs, but balance savings against carrier density and transit times to key demand centers.