Customs Info

Importing goods using international courier service

For goods sent by international courier service, a customs broker clears the goods through customs for you and advances the duty payments such as customs duty to deliver the goods to you.

Where to call: Private Import Customs Clearance Information Center TEL: 81-3-3593-8401

Importing goods as general cargo

When goods arrive in Japan as general cargo, the airline or shipping company notifies the recipient. When notified of the goods arrival, you may put together the documents required for import customs clearance such as the "Invoice" and "Freight Statement" to make a request to a customs broker to clear through customs, or submit the "Import (Duty Payment) Declaration" together with said documents to the customs office which has jurisdiction over the warehouse where the goods are stored and clear them through customs.
When having a customs broker clear them through customs for you, you will be charged expenses such as a customs broker fee and domestic freight charge. Please verify expenses in advance.
For further information, please contact Private Import Customs Clearance Information Center (c/o Japan Customs Brokers Association) which provides general information regarding private import and clears through customs private import goods which arrive at the airport.

Importing goods by parcel post

(1) Nondutiable goods and duty-free goods
The parcel is delivered directly to the recipient from the Japan Post Service Co.,Ltd's delivery office or the post office.

(2) Goods subject to duty

A. Goods with total duty amount of 10,000 yen or less The parcel is delivered directly with a "Notice of Assessment for International Mail" (hereafter referred to as Notice of Assessment) issued by the overseas mail sub-branch customs. You may receive the parcel by paying duty upon delivery.
B. Goods with total duty amount over 10,000 yen but less than or equal to 300,000 yen The delivery office or the post office makes a call to give notification of the parcels arrival and duty amount. You may receive the parcel in the following ways:

• If you can pay the notified amount of duty right away.
  If you make a request for delivery, the parcel is delivered directly to you. You may receive the parcel by paying duty upon delivery.
• If you cannot pay the notified amount of duty right away.
  A Notice of Assessment is sent from the delivery office or the post office. You may receive the parcel by presenting the Notice of Assessment and paying duty at the window in the designated post office.

C. Goods with total duty amount over 300,000 yen There is no delivery of such parcels. A Notice of Assessment is sent to you and you may receive the parcel by presenting the Notice of Assessment and paying duty at the window in the designated post office.
*In order to receive goods subject to duty, it is necessary to pay the customs fee (Japan Post Service Co., Ltd. handling charge) in addition to duty.

(3) When a post card with "Notice of Customs Clearance for Mail Articles Delivered from Overseas" is delivered
Send by mail or bring the post card and required documents listed on the post card to the overseas mail sub-branch customs or inquire to said sub-branch customs by telephone. The customs checks the documents with the goods to verify the value and other conditions. If there are no problems, you can receive the parcel in the same way as (1) or (2).