As a foreigner and visitor in Japan, you have to require certain customs regulations which are an important part of entry into and departure from the country.

We bring you information about customs regulations. With our tips, you will not have problems with Procedures of Passenger Clearance. This guide helps foreigners by providing information about Customs regulations and procedures. The following knowledge will be helpful for all foreigners, no matter what transport you will use – air transport or transportation by sea.

Declaration – one of the customs regulations in Japan

First, you have to make a written declaration about your belongings. You have to have two copies of the declaration, especially if you have unaccompanied baggage.

Customs declaration forms you can find on the ship, plane and at Customs.

Customs regulations and procedures for unaccompanied baggage

When you have unaccompanied baggage, you need to have two copies of written declaration forms. When your entry requires declaration forms, one of the forms Customs officer will return to you. This declaration has duty and tax status.

Unaccompanied baggage after your arrival must be in your custody for six months.  At the time of clearance of the unaccompanied baggage, you have to present the declaration.

Also, on your declaration, you have to list unaccompanied baggage. You have to identify the parcel by placing the words “unaccompanied baggage” on the parcel.

Unaccompanied baggage for personal use is free of duty and taxes.

What about Personal Effects and Professional Equipment?

If you want to know what are customs regulations and procedures for personal effects and professional equipment, you have to know that you don’t have to pay any taxes for these items. Personal effects for your personal use, which you will use during your stay in Japan, are free of duty if Customs consider that they are not for sale.

Customs regulations for Household goods

If you are moving to Japan with household goods, they have to be in the limit of cargo if you want to be tax-free. Shipping household goods can include also automobiles and other vehicles, but they need a registration certificate. Also, they need to be used about one year before its arrival in Japan.

Prohibited Articles

We bring you a list of articles which are prohibited from entry by law:

• Heroin, cocaine, MDMA, opium, cannabis, stimulants, psychotropic substances, and other narcotic drugs
• Firearms and ammunition
• Explosives
• Precursor materials for chemical weapons
• Counterfeit, altered, or imitation coins, paper money, bank notes, or securities, and forged credit cards
• Books, drawings, carvings, and any other article which may harm public safety or morals
• Child pornography
• Articles which infringe upon intellectual property rights.

 Restricted Articles

There are restricted articles by laws and customs regulations in Japan. If you want to import such goods you need the approval of law and government agency have to examine these goods. For example, nobody can bring swords, air guns etc. without a permit to possess.

Purchase of Tax-Free Articles                                                                  

When you purchase articles at “tax-free” shops, you need to show your passport at the shop so you can receive a card “Record of Purchase of Consumption-Tax-Exempt for Export”, which will be attached to your passport.  Customs officer will check tax-free articles, and he/she will collect the card at the time of your departure from Japan.

Additional Information on customs regulations

If you want to send baggage with a later flight, you must have declaration with time and place of your entry and cargo’s entry.

Export regulations:

Articles which are free of taxes are ones that are not using for commercial purposes. Reasonable quantities of tobacco products, perfumes, alcohol, and others are free for export. Tax-free articles purchased in Japan must be shown to the Customs at the port or at the airport.

If you want to export meat to some countries like Singapore, you need an export certificate from the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. This declaration has to show that products are free from any animal infectious disease.

Duty and Tax Rate

When your baggage exceeds the duty-free limits of customs regulations in Japan, you need to pay taxes for every item that is above the limit. For example, if you bring in your cargo bottles of wine, three of them are duty-free, every bottle extra will be the subject of customs duties.

Medicine

It is not our advice to pack medicines into your cargo. If Japan Customs discover medicines in your baggage, they will be checking all of your cargo for prohibited pharmaceuticals. And your delivery can be delayed. Also, Customs will confiscate your medicines. So, don’t bring medicines on a flight to Japan.

Customs regulations for importing Pets in Japan

If you are moving with pets to Japan, you should be aware of many pets import regulations. Before you decide to do it, you need to plan well ahead and collect all required documents. You need to understand the import requirements to avoid delays and complications. For this process, you need to gather correct paperwork: health certificates, rabies certificates, etc.
Importing dogs and cats to Japan requires a 12-hour quarantine. If you don’t need all of the required documents, your pet can stay in quarantine for 180 days.

You need to present your pet to the quarantine officer for quarantine inspection and Customs examination.

To have stress-free moving to Japan, be aware that you will not be able to bring your pet into Japan if you do not have a health certificate which you can receive from a government agency.