Doubts emerged yesterday over joint-venture plans hatched eight months ago by TNT, the Dutch post group, and Japan Post, the world’s second-largest mail operator.

TNT said it had failed to agree a partnership with the Japanese group, intended to bring the Dutch company a share of a €22bn ($27.7bn) annual Asia-Pacific express mail market. Heralded as a cornerstone of its regional growth strategy, the Dutch company conceded that it was now considering “alternative options” to the joint venture.