Taiyo Kogyo Column
Difference between a warehouse that does not engage in warehousing and a “commercial warehouse”│Organization of related knowledge and introduction of recommended warehouses
2020.10.05
To operate a warehousing business, a commercial warehouse must be established. The definition of a “commercial warehouse” and related laws and rules must be understood in advance. However, the rules in the warehousing industry are complex, and many people may feel that they do not have a clear understanding or organization of “development permits” and “registration.
To alleviate such concerns, this article provides a brief overview of the key points to understand when considering the establishment of a commercial warehouse, with a focus on development permits.
Please read on to learn about other “tent warehouses” that offer significant advantages as commercial warehouses and recommendations on how to proceed with the process, including development permits.
Table of Contents
1 Definition of “Operating Warehouse
2 Laws and regulations related to warehouses
2-1 Warehousing Law (Registration System)
2-2 Building Standard Law (Application for Building Permit)
2-3 City Planning Law (Development Permission)
3 Details regarding development permits for warehouses
3-1 How do I get a development permit?
3-2 Cases in which a development permit is not required for a commercial warehouse
4 Excellent advantages of “tent warehouses” that can also be used for sales warehouses
4-1 What are the advantages of tented warehouses?
5 For consultation on tent warehouses, including development permits, contact Taiyo Kogyo, a professional in business for 100 years.
6 Conclusion
Definition of "operating warehouse
Warehouses for personal use, such as those used by ordinary households, are called “private warehouses. In contrast, a “commercial warehouse” is a warehouse for the purpose of storing goods for others. In other words, all warehouses in the warehousing industry are basically commercial warehouses. Due to the nature of warehousing, it is necessary to protect the interests of shippers by establishing rules, and these rules are stipulated in the “Warehousing Business Law” of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
- Sales warehouse has received a building permit.
- Facilities and equipment conform to standards
- A person responsible for the management is defined.
- Warehouse Deposit Terms and Conditions.
Only by meeting these strict criteria can a warehouse be “registered” and only registered warehouses can be used for warehousing operations as commercial warehouses.
The Warehousing Law is not the only law governing commercial warehouses. Here are some other laws and regulations you should be aware of.
Laws and Regulations Related to Warehousing
A warehouse used for warehousing is a commercial warehouse as defined by the Warehousing Law, and at the same time, it is a building as defined by the Building Standards Law. As such, it is naturally subject to the rules and regulations related to buildings. In addition, it is necessary to check the provisions of the Urban Planning Law for development permission. There are three main laws (rules) that should be understood with regard to warehouses.
- Warehousing Business Law (Registration System)
- Building Standard Law (Application for Building Permit)
- City Planning Law (Development Permit)
Here is a brief explanation of each.
Warehousing Business Law (Registration System)
The Warehousing Business Law was enacted to “protect the interests of shippers” as mentioned above. A “registration system” has been established to ensure that only warehouses that meet certain criteria are used for business.
Only warehouses registered with the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism will be available for warehousing. The details of registration are explained in detail in the following article. Please check it out.
Building Standard Law (Application for Building Permit)
Warehouses are considered “buildings” under the regulations and must also comply with the Building Standard Law. Specifically, this is the part encompassed by the registration criteria of the Warehousing Business Law, but an “application for building permit” must be filed in accordance with the Building Standards Law.
This application is required for buildings with an area of 10 m2 or more, so it is important to recognize that it is, in principle, mandatory for warehouses used as commercial warehouses.
City Planning Law (Development Permit)
The City Planning Law is intended to promote the sound development and orderly improvement of cities. In order to be able to regulate unregulated development, a system called “development permission” has been established.
This expression may not seem to have much to do with warehouses. However, the City Planning Law defines development as “a change in the shape of a parcel of land to be used primarily for the construction of a building or a specific structure,” and the construction of a warehouse is no exception to this definition.
More information on development permits for warehouses
Let’s discuss development permits in more detail.
How do we get a development permit?
When building a warehouse above a certain size, a development permit must be obtained from the governor of each municipality (or mayor in the case of a designated city).
The procedure for obtaining a development permit requires the submission of a written application that describes the items required by law. Since many people are not familiar with this part of the process, it is a good idea to understand it beforehand by referring to the following information.
Cases in which a development permit is not required for a commercial warehouse
On the other hand, there are cases in which a development permit is not required. The City Planning Law defines cases in which a development permit is not required. In the case of commercial warehouses, the scale of the development will be affected. Cases in which a development permit is not required are as follows
zone | Area to be developed |
---|---|
Special wards, established urban areas, suburban development zones, etc. in Tokyo | Less than 500 square meters |
area zoned for urbanization (urbanisation) | Less than 1,000 square meters |
Urban planning areas that have not been zoned | Less than 3,000 square meters |
quasi-urban planning zone | Less than 3,000 square meters |
However, the above area may be reduced to “less than 300 square meters” under the ordinance of each municipality, etc., if it is deemed particularly necessary.
Excellent advantages of "tent warehouses" that can also be used for sales warehouses
We hope that you have learned that there are various rules that must be followed regarding the construction and installation of sales warehouses.
It is essential and very important to comply with laws and regulations, but on the other hand, many people may feel burdened.
For such people, we will introduce “tent warehouses,” which not only offer flexibility and ease of compliance with standards, regardless of size or use, but also a variety of other advantages.
(A “tent warehouse” has various advantages as a sales warehouse)
What are the advantages of tent warehouses?
A tent warehouse is a warehouse with a “membrane structure” (a metal framework covered with a membrane material). The superior performance of various “membrane materials” developed through ever-evolving technology offers many advantages over conventionally constructed warehouses and has attracted attention in recent years, regardless of industry.
The main advantages of tent warehouses are summarized in the following three points.
- Superior functionality
- Low cost and short construction period
- Building Permit Relaxation Measures
Superior functionality
In fact, there are many cases where tent warehouses are actually used as commercial warehouses, and they are highly regarded as a convenient alternative to existing warehouses. Specific advantages of tent warehouses include the following functional aspects
- High lighting and brightness in the warehouse to save electricity.
- Heat does not accumulate easily, making it easy to keep the warehouse comfortable.
- Rust does not occur because the walls and roof are membrane materials
- Easy maintenance, including the ability to make partial repairs
- Wide range of sizes and functionalities for various applications
- Flexible, lightweight, and resistant to earthquakes, minimizing damage in the event of a fall.
- The “Dual Membrane System” can also function as a temperature-controlled warehouse.
- Some specifications are designed to withstand cold-weather snowfall.
- Flame retardant and disaster prevention can be handled if nonflammable membrane materials are used.
Low cost and short construction period
What makes tent warehouses superior is not only their functionality. In addition to significantly reducing costs, the construction period is also significantly shorter, by as much as 40%.
The rational structure, lightweight material composition, and reduced volume of foundation work can be expected to significantly reduce construction costs compared to typical construction. The structural characteristics of the building also make it possible to shorten the construction period by as much as 66% compared to conventional methods.
Building Permit Relaxation Measures
In addition, tent warehouses have the advantage of being eligible for relaxed regulations in building permits, provided that they meet the conditions stipulated in “Notification No. 667 of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism”. The mitigation measures will reduce the burden in many areas, and will be one of the reasons for businesses to choose tent warehouses.
There are detailed items to be checked in order to determine if the property is eligible for mitigation measures. The checks are complicated and require specialized knowledge, so a professional investigation is necessary. It is advisable to request this investigation to a business with a proven track record and knowledge.
For consultation on tent warehouses, including development permits, contact Taiyo Kogyo, a professional in business for 100 years.
Even if you understand that tent warehouses have excellent advantages, you may not have a clear picture of the specific procedures to be followed to check standards and apply for development permits and other approvals.
In such cases, you should not deal with the problem by yourself, but ask a specialized business operator to do so. If you contact Taiyo Kogyo Corporation, you can leave everything from tent warehouse design to various procedures to us as a one-stop service.
Taiyo Kogyo Corporation is a tent professional that has been in business for about 100 years, and can handle building permit applications for tent warehouses as well as other highly specialized legal procedures on your behalf. We can handle the entire process as a one-stop shop, so there is no need to coordinate with multiple businesses. Furthermore, we have sales offices throughout Japan, so on-site surveys and meetings are possible regardless of the region. Please contact us.
summary
Warehouses, while seemingly simple, must operate under a variety of rules and regulations due to their role. For a commercial warehouse, there are many procedures such as development permits, registration, and building permits that are unfamiliar and complicated for those who are new to the business.
Each of these details is important, and if you feel even a little burdened to deal with them, we recommend that you request Taiyo Kogyo Corporation to handle them, along with consideration of a tent warehouse.
We would be happy to help you gain a better understanding of the warehouse area.
For inquiries about Tent Warehouse products, please contact
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