We have years of experience as an IOR and ACP, but Japanese regulations are becoming stricter.
ACP (attorney for customs procedures) allows you to have full autonomy as a seller, but has become too expensive and time consuming, so we don’t recommend it.
Cost: duties are taxes are levied on the Amazon selling price!
Time: An extensive paper trail is required:
ACP registration and POA (per port)
Articles of incorporation for both parties
Commercial Invoice and supplier invoices
Fees Breakdown + evidence (amazon screens, rev calc, etc.)
Money and product flowchart (goods services and finances flowchart)
Domestic shipper POA
Presentation of above documents in person
Additional documents (Inventory records, balance sheets, p/l sheets, JP tax payment docs, contracts, order history report, HISTORY OF ALL EMAIL CORRESPONDECE)
IOR is getting stricter too, with the IOR needing to provide evidence of invoices. Essentially, it is becoming a ‘grey’ area.
We now recommend using not an IOR, but partnering with a full blown importer. Simply a commercial invoice is needed, but the importer technically needs to buy the stock.
The main categories that we get queries about:
Ingredients check Pharmaceutical or food classification
For pharmaceutical supplements you’ll need to find a licensed importer
For food supplements we can import them as foods.
- An ingredients check is required to make sure that there are no restrictions on the ingredients.
- A manufacturing process flowchart is also needed for the check.
- You will need a Japanese language ingredients and nutrition panel, with the importer’s name and address listed
Efficacy claims and restricted words cannot be stated on packaging!
(If you have any questions about a category not mentioned here, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.)
Food (including pet food!)
- An ingredients check is required to make sure that there are no restrictions on the ingredients.
- A manufacturing process flowchart is also needed for the check.
- You will need a Japanese language ingredients and nutrition panel, with the importer’s name and address listed
For pet food it’s a very similar process!
(If you have any questions about a category not mentioned here, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.)
Kitchenware is a highly regulated category in Japan. You will need:
- Detailed materials datasheets
- Materials test certificates for every component of the product from an Japanese accredited testing centre
(If you have any questions about a category not mentioned here, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.)
This is one of the most diverse categories, and the requirements vary depending on:
- Target age
- Intended end use
In many cases, with an age warning, no additional steps are required.
However, in some cases, material test certificates or product specific warning labels may be needed:
- Young target age
- Small ingestible parts
- Potentially toxic substances (glue, paint, etc.)
(If you have any questions about a category not mentioned here, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.)
PSE Safety certification is needed for mains powered products, or products with high capacity rechargeable batteries
‘Giteki’ Technical Conformity certification is needed for products with radios/wireless connectivity.
Your manufacturer or 3rd party test facility should be able to provide these for you.
(If you have any questions about a category not mentioned here, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.)
Japanese language material and washing tags recommended
If leather is used, the exact type and scientific name of the animal are required.
(Leather is heavily taxed. It could be cheaper to source form a country with a Japanese)
(If you have any questions about a category not mentioned here, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.)
Cosmetics are require an importer that is licensed to manufacture and sell cosmetics.
- An ingredients check is required to make sure that there are no restrictions on the ingredients.
- A manufacturing process flowchart is also needed for the check.
- You will need a Japanese language ingredients label, with the importer’s name and address listed
(If you have any questions about a category not mentioned here, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.)
For the following products prior consultation and notification need to be given to the receiving port and corresponding customs office:
- Food
- Supplements
- Kitchenware
- Certain toys
(If you have any questions about a category not mentioned here, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.)
Pharmaceutical supplements and medicines
Cosmetics (as mentioned before)
Products that are classified as ‘medical devices’ such as:
- Toothbrushes
- Epilators
- Massagers
- Bandages/supports/adhesives