To all Agents – Please Note “All Destination Quote Rates Encompass All The Following: “Remarks, Specific Information, Important Notices, and Prohibited Items”

Important Remarks #1

  1. Any Japan Side Port Charges and Local fees that are excluded or send on a collect base will be billed back to you as per receipts unless otherwise instructed to send these charges billed to the customer and which also, in this case, these charges are and must be received in the full payment before the customers’ shipment can be released for delivery in full and or in partial delivery and with no access to take out the shipment from the warehouse by self and or by another third party.
  2. If the Japanese Customs Office pulls, requests, and requires a physical, an x-ray, or both inspections. Japanese Customs Inspection Charges are for estimation purposes only *(Physical Inspection and X-ray Inspection charges depend on the number of items requested for inspection): LCL single shipper for estimation purposes only JPY 10,000 to JPY 35,000 per shipment and FCL single shipper are for estimation purposes only for 20ft containers JPY 10,000 to 45,000 and FCL 40ft containers JPY 25,000 to JPY 45000 and for 40fthc containers JPY 35,000 to JPY 55,000. These charges are not included in the Destination rates if the Japanese Customs Office pulls, requests, and requires a physical, an x-ray, or both of these inspections.
  3. Please arrange for all THC charges, DO charges and any other Japan Port Charges to be sent on a prepaid basis. THC Japan Port Side and all other Japan Side Port Charges are for estimation purposes only – please check with the carrier you intend to utilize for their THC Japan Port Side charges – (all these noted JPY amounts are for estimation purposes only) LCL- JPY 4,000 to JPY 7,000 per one cubic meter / for 20ft container – JPY 32,000 to JPY 36,000 per one B/L / for 40ft and 40fthc – JPY 48,000 to JPY 52,000. Carriers DOC fee JPY 5,000 to JPY 10,000 per B/L  Always arrange for all THC charges, DO charges and any other and all Japan Port Charges to be sent on a prepaid basis. (please check with the freight forwarder you intend to utilize as between freight forwarders these charges vary between carriers.) All collect charges will be billed back to you at cost. Please advise well in advance if the customer is to pay for these charges.
  4. Advise well in advance if the customer is to pay for any Japanese Port of Arrival Charges, THC, CFS, and D/O fees and any other Japan Side Port Charges.  
  5. Do not include any food products including spices, herbs, and pet foods into the shipment – these items are prohibited for importation.
  6. Due to insurance reasons of vehicles and other insurance reasons – customers are not permitted to remove items from the our provided trucks nor are customers able to be in the trucks for any reason including riding in the trucks and also into 20ft, 40ft, and 40fthc containers.
  7. When consigning of this shipment to our care please contact for the “Consignee and Shipping Instructions”.
  8. All rate is for “Single Shipper Only.  
  9. Non-Japanese Nationals must have a valid working visa for Japan (a one year or more working visa) and the shipment must be coming from the customers departing country of residence, and be imported within 180 days from the date or entry of the customer’s physical arrival into Japan. This applies to Japanese Nationals all except for that a working visa is not required for Japan and the must have or had a more than one year working visa in the origin country the shipment is coming from.. For more information regarding this and other Japanese Customs Rules please refer to the “IAM Country Guide”.
  10. All consignments are on a prepaid basis and payable by the agent or shipper, 15 days prior to the vessels arrive at the port of entry.
  11. Arrange for the THC, DO and any other Japan Port Charges to be sent on a prepaid basis. All collect charges will be billed at cost   unless otherwise instructed with a 15-day prior notice to invoice to the customer.
  12. All wooden packing materials must be ISPM-15 – disposal charges for non-compliment ISPM-15 will be invoiced additionally and payable before the shipment can be released for delivery to the customer.

Documents Required for Used Household Goods and Personal Effects and for Non-USA Military Arm-Forces Personnel:

  1. Original Customs Declaration Form C5360 (this is the small yellow form which distributed in-flight and is also available in the baggage claim area upon arrival. Please advise the customer to complete 2 of the Customs Declaration Form C5360, check-marking the “YES” on the question “Do you have Unaccompanied Articles” The customer is required to hand both these Customs Declaration Form C5360 as the customer is declaring their “On-flight Accompanied Luggage and Articles to the Custom Inspecting Office who will return only one to the customer. This is Original Customs Declaration Form C5360 we will require for the customers “Unaccompanied Shipment”.
  2. Copy of all the passports of those declared on the Japanese Customs Declaration Form C5360.
  3. Color Copy of Entry Stamp into Japan (this much match the date stamped on the Original Customs declaration form C5360.
  4. Detailed packing list/inventory in English or Japanese (do not use PBO, Packages, Bundles, items from Garage, etc.… items listed must be descriptive of the items.
  5. Ocean bill of lading (OBL) /air waybill (AWB).
  6. Keys/combinations to any locked baggage.
  7. If the customer is a USA Military Personnel (SoFA Status) a clear copy of “Letter of Authorization”.

Specific Information

  1. The owner of the goods must be physically present in Japan prior to the Customs clearance and during the Customs Clearance date of the shipment. (Physical presence at the Japanese Customs Site Inspection is not required.) Please note that assuming all the required paperwork and documentation has been received by us the time the shipment arrives at the POE it generally requires 7 to 10 working days for the clearance and the delivery for a sea shipment and generally requires 3 to 5 working days for the clearance and the delivery for an air shipment, assuming that all required paperwork and documentation has been received by us the time the shipment arrives at the POE. Any delays in providing us with all the correct paperwork and documents can result in additional charges that will be invoiced to either you or the customer. And in which case must be pre-advised as to whom any such charges are to be billed to and that these charges are due before the shipment in full, in partial, to the customer, or a third party representing the customer, access for removal of items from the warehouse before the shipment can be released from the warehouse for delivery to the customer. Pre-Japanese Clearance is not available, so shipments must coincide with the customer’s arrival into Japan and or with 180 days of the customer’s entry stamp into Japan. We recommend and request the 180 days period to be not more than 160 days of the customer’s entry stamp into Japan. It is recommended and requested not more than 160 days of the customer’s entry stamp into Japan.
  2. The customer must be coming from the country of origin of the country of the shipment of the customer.
  3. An air shipment packing list requires a detailed value of the items. (in the case you request a destination air shipment we will forward you an air shipment example of the format of the air inventory list that is required and mandatory by the Japanese Customs Office.
  4. Household Goods and Personal effects must be custom cleared with the Japanese Custom Office within 6 months of the date of entry on the Original certificated/stamped by the Customs Officer at the airport of entry of the customer completing on the Japanese
  5. Original Japanese Custom Declaration Form C5360 certificated/stamped by Customs at the airport of entry of the customer.
  6. For Non-USA Military Arm Forces Personnel and for USA Military Arm Forces Personnel – Two custom declaration forms must be completed in duplicate for unaccompanied articles.
  7. Both forms must be submitted to the officials at the accompanied baggage inspection area upon arrival in Japan.
  8. One is used as the Customs record and the duplicate will be returned with an official seal.
  9. In the event, the declaration form is not completed and certified by Customs officials upon entry, the shipment may be subject to duties and taxes.
  10. Newly purchased items are duty and tax-free up to JPY200,000.
  11. The owner of the goods should keep receipts with English translation for new items, as duty and tax may apply.
  12. Copies of passports includes all members of the family indicated on the Japanese Custom Form C5360 with entry stamp, visa passport information page and the passport photo, and signature page.
  13. Japanese Customs Entry Stamp by the person declaration of the Japanese Custom Form C5360 at the airport of entry of the customer which must be the same date as stamped on the Japanese Custom Form C5360.
  14.  Japanese houses and apartments are generally smaller than in Western countries, and oversized furniture (e.g., couch, king size mattresses, etc.) may not fit through entrance doors, staircases, and other access areas.
  15.  Due to road conditions, traffic regulations /restrictions, ocean steel containers are inaccessible and are prohibited to be taken to the customers residence. All shipments are placed onto a smaller truck(s) to accommodate road access on the small streets in residential areas from after and at the Japanese Customs Inspection at the Inspection Site Facility after the shipment has been approved for import permission. The containers are returned to the returning Container Yard after the container unloading is finished at the Japanese Customs Inspection site facility.
  16. Container trailer head drivers free waiting time is 2 hours.
  17. Oversized furniture (e.g., couch, king size mattresses, etc.) may not fit  and cannot through entrance doors, staircases, windows, elevators and other residential access areas and in such case will be returned to our warehouse for storage purposes, payable customer unless otherwise instructed to invoice to someone other than the customer.

Remarks: SEA and AIR SHIPMENTS – IMPORTANT NOTICES (#1 thru #5):

  1. IMPORTANT NOTICE #1: 

All Japan Side Port charges/fees are excluded and will be billed back to as per paid out costs with receipts (unless otherwise instructed to bill any of these charges to the customer) – We recommend and request that all Japan Side Port Charges including the D/O fee be prepaid.

  • IMPORTANT NOTICE ON QUOTED RATE #2: 

Rates are only valid with terms and conditions that the Sea Bill of Lading of Seaway  Bill of Lading be received 15 days before the vessel’s arrival at the port of entry in Japan, and or the Air Bill of Lading be received within 7 days before the aircraft’s arrival at the port of entry in Japan and all other required documents.

3.     IMPORTANT NOTICE #3: 

Rate is only valid – that the customers’ contact information (email address and all telephone and mobile numbers received 15 days of the vessels’ arrival for a sea shipment and 10 days before for an air shipment.

  • IMPORTANT NOTICE #4: 

Invoicing is sent soon after receipt of the Sea Bill of Lading of Seaway Bill of Lading and or of the Airway Bill of Lading and is payable no less than 7 days before the sea shipment vessels’ arrival at the seaport of entry, and no less than 7 days before the sea shipment vessels’ arrival at the airport of entry.

  • IMPORTANT NOTICE#5: 

All wooden packing materials ISPM-15 is mandatory

  • Prohibited Items:
  • Plants with or without soil, fresh fruits, and vegetables (a quarantine certificate is required prior to Customs examination). Fresh meat including poultry, sausage, ham, bacon, or any other meat products
  • Bones, eggs, fat, blood, skins, hides, pelts, fur, hair, feathers, down, horns, antlers, hooves, and all such similar
  • Medicines and cosmetics (e.g., pharmaceutical products; the amount for use during a period of 2 months; quasi-drugs: 24 pieces permitted but with a doctor’s prescription
  • Alcohol and alcoholic beverages that exceed the allotted limit by the Japanese Customs Office when the Japanese Customs Declaration Form is completed and processed properly and complete and processed with the Japanese Customs Office, however duties and taxes are taken over the permitted amount as indicated on the Japanese Customs Form that the customer completes on their in-flight flight to Japan and presented the Japanese Customs Office at the customers airport of arrival into Japan. (For you reference and the customer’s reference please note the example of the Japanese Customs Form “Customs Form C No. 5360-B”) 
  • Opium, ether, narcotic drugs and utensils for opium smoking, and stimulants (including Vick Inhalers and other similar Inhalers)
  • Foods and Spices
  • Psychotropic substances (excluding those designated by an ordinance of the Ministry of Health and Welfare
  • Counterfeit, altered, or imitated articles of coins, paper money, banknotes, or securities
  • Books, drawings, carvings, and any other article which injures public security or morals (obscene or immoral materials, pornography, etc.)
  • Articles which infringe upon rights in patents, utility models, designs, trademarks, copyrights, neighboring rights, or layout design of integrated circuits
  • Firearms (pistols, rifles, machine guns, etc.) and ammunition (bullets) thereof, and parts of firearms.
  • Weapons (swords, daggers, bows, and arrows, etc. with blades more than 15 centimeters in length prohibited
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