flag Japan Japan: Buying

In this page: Customs Procedures | Industrial and Manufacturing Profile | Identifying a Supplier | Controlling the Quality of the Products | Organizing Goods Transport To and From Japan

 

Customs Procedures

Export Clearance
Goods intended for export must be taken to the customs area (Hozei area) or to a place specifically authorised for storage. The exporter or his delegate (known as a customs broker) prepares an export declaration describing the nature, quantity and value of the goods to be exported.
This declaration is accompanied by supporting documents such as invoices and, if required, by other documents, i.e. permits, approvals or licenses.
The Japanese Customs website explains how to fill in the export declaration form.
When an exporter exports the same type of goods on a regular basis, export procedures can be expedited by using the Comprehensive Prior Examination System, in advance. The Japanese Customs website explains the conditions in which it can apply.
Necessary Declaration
The following documents must be submitted to Customs.
- Export Declaration (Customs form C-5010)
- Invoice
- Other documents: Certifications, permits, or approvals required by other laws and regulations.
Restrictions
Japan Customs provides a list of Goods with Prohibitions, Controls and Restrictions.
Export Taxes
No tax is levied on exports.
Exports are also exempt from consumption tax.

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Industrial and Manufacturing Profile

The industrial sector constitutes approximately 29% of GDP and manufacturing employs nearly 24% of the workforce. Japan has traditionally been a world leader with its automated production processes. On the whole, the industry has benefited from innovative technology- including the chemical, aircraft and software sectors. Japan ranks among the world's largest and most technologically advanced producers of electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles and processed foods. The production value of the food industry ranked third among manufacturing industries (after electric and transport machinery).

Sector-specific professional associations

110 professional associations listed for Japan.

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Type of Manufacturers

Original Equipment Manufacturers
Japan records a great number of OEMs, established on high technological segments of production. The strength of Japanese OEMs comes from their long-term investments in R&D (3% of its GDP invested in R&D each year, more than in the United-States).
OEMs are found in every major Japanese industrial sector.
Original Design Manufacturers
Japan’s industrial sphere counts fewer ODMs. But OEMs sometime also offer the services of ODMs.
Subcontractors
The labor cost in Japan is too high to allow the country to be competitive for this type of business relation. Nevertheless in some high technological segments, one may find some competitive subcontractors.

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Identifying a Supplier

Japanese multisector Business directories

2FindLocal Japan - Japanese business directory

All.biz - Japan - Directory of companies in Japan

Biz Pages Japan - Business directory for Japan

BizExposed Japan - Business directory for Japan

Bloombiz Japan - Business directory for Japan

City By App Japan - Business directory for Japan

Colist Japan - Business directory for Japan

Cybo Japan - Business directory for Japan

eBizFinder - Directory of both Japanese and overseas trading companies

Expat.com - Japan business directory

 

To see 17 more, check out our Business Directories database.

Japanese Marketplaces

Sample of marketplaces incorporated in Japan (A to Z)

 

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Upcoming Trade shows in Japan

April 1st, 2024
Natural resource management, ecology - Pollution - Urban and industrial waste - Water treatment - Chemistry, pharmacy - Chemicals, pharmacy and derived products: unspecified - Chemicals - Plastics, rubber - Hygiene, perfumes, cosmetics - Pharmaceutical industry: products, laboratories - Pharmacies, analysis laboratories - Aesthetics, hairdressing - Recycling
April 10th, 2024
Communication - Marketing - Advertising - Sponsorship - Incentive - Toys, games, gifts - Commercial property, patents, trademarks - Monuments, tourist attractions - e-commerce
April 10th, 2024
Iconography, various prints - Toys, games, gifts
April 10th, 2024
Viticulture - Food industry - Food industry: unspecified - Alcoholic drinks - Non-alcoholic drinks - Bakery, pastry, confectionery - Cereals, spices, tobacco - Fruits and vegetables - Dry groceries, packaged goods - Dairy products - Fish and seafood - Meat and poultry - Wines, spirits - Products and services for weddings - Hotels, accommodation - Restaurants, home deliveries - Cafes, bars, nightclubs
April 10th, 2024
Precision, measures, optics, watches
April 10th, 2024
Natural resource management, ecology - Pollution - Urban and industrial waste - Water treatment - Naval construction, boating - Transportation, logistics, handling - Air transport, airports - Maritime transport, river transport, cruises - Road transport - Rail transport - Logistics, handling - Freight - Recycling
April 12th, 2024
Plastics, rubber - Aeronautics, aero spatial - Aerospace - Space - Automobile manufacturing, lorries - Automobile subcontracting, lorries - Hardware, tools, accessories - Metallurgy, steel, foundry - Industry service - Outsourcing, hardware equipping - Embedded systems
April 12th, 2024
Plastics, rubber - Mechanical, precision - Machine tools, agricultural machinery - Hardware, tools, accessories - Professional hardware - Raw materials, materials, metals - Metallurgy, steel, foundry - Outsourcing, hardware equipping - Engineering
April 16th, 2024
Machine tools, agricultural machinery - Robotics - Precision, measures, optics, watches - Electronic equipment and components
April 17th, 2024
Chemistry, pharmacy - Chemicals - Plastics, rubber - Hygiene, perfumes, cosmetics - Pharmacies, analysis laboratories

To see 558 more, check out our Trade shows database

Other Useful Resources

Trade Agencies and Their Representations Abroad
Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industries
The representations of the JETRO around the world
Contact the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the United Kingdom.
 
 
Contact Your Commercial Representations in Japan
Contact UK Trade & Investment in Japan.
Contact the British Embassy in Japan.

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Controlling the Quality of the Products

Quality Control Organizations
Japanese Society for Quality Control JSQC
BureauVeritas Japan

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Organizing Goods Transport To and From Japan

Main Useful Means of Transport
In fiscal year 2018 (latest data available), motor vehicles accounted for over 51 percent of the total payload distance in domestic freight transportation within Japan; followed by cargo ships (43.7%), railways (4.7%) and airlines (0.2%).
Japan has 128 ports, including 23 main ports, situated along the Japanese coastline. The 'Three Major Bays' handle approximately 35% of all port cargo in Japan and consist of Tokyo Bay (six harbours, including Yokohama and Tokyo), Osaka Bay (five harbours including Kobe and Osaka) and Ise Bay (five harbours including Nagoya).
In 2019, it is estimated that the coastal cargo volume was of 342.2 millions of metric tonnes, whereas the domestic air cargo volumes was 0.787 million of metric tonnes.
 
 

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By Road

Transport Professionals
Fukuyama Transporting Co., Ltd.
Sagawa Express
Keihin Co., Ltd.
Yamato Transport Company
Government Transport Organisations
Road Bureau

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By Rail

Transport Professionals
Government Transport Organisations
Railway Bureau

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Latest Update: March 2024