Insights & Guides
Practical knowledge on Japan market entry — from company setup and visas to trade logistics and branding.
Who Is the Importer of Record for a Japan Consignment-Sale Import? (2026)
For goods you sell in Japan on consignment, either you as the overseas seller or your Japan-based selling party can be the import declarant, and Japan Customs has published both as acceptable...
Is Under-Invoicing to Lower Japan Customs Duty Legal? (2026)
No. Declaring a lower value than the actual price paid for imported goods is a criminal false declaration under Japan's Customs Act (関税法), not a gray area or a negotiable discount. The dutiable...
What Is AEO Status With Japan Customs, and Does It Actually Speed Up Import Clearance? (2026)
Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) status (AEO制度) is a Japan Customs (税関) authorization, administered under the Customs Act (関税法) and overseen by the Ministry of Finance (財務省), that recognizes an...
Does Product Packaging Need a Japanese-Language Label to Sell in Japan? (2026)
Yes, for most retail categories. General merchandise (textiles, plastics, household electrical goods) falls under the Household Goods Quality Labeling Act (家庭用品品質表示法), and food falls under the...
HS Code for Aircraft Parts, Drones, and Balloons in Japan: 2026 Classification Guide
A complete unmanned aircraft (drone) is classified under HS 8806, a complete balloon or airship with no independent propulsion falls under HS 8801.00, and a part or payload of an aircraft or...
Japan KK Capital From a Transfer-Restricted Country: Can It Still Be Funded? (2026)
Yes. A founder whose home country limits personal outbound transfers can still incorporate a KK or GK and reach the JPY 30,000,000 Business Manager visa (経営・管理) capital threshold, but the fix sits...
Can an Importer of Record Keep Your Supplier and Buyer From Seeing Each Other in Japan? (2026)
Yes, within limits. An Importer of Record (IOR) that genuinely buys the goods and resells them can be directed in writing to withhold the upstream supplier's identity from the Japan buyer, and the...
Why Does Demoing a Starlink Terminal in Japan Cost More Than the Hardware? (2026)
A USD 500 to 1,000 Starlink-class terminal cannot legally transmit in Japan without either a Type Certification (技適) mark or an Experimental Station Licence (実験局免許). For a one-off trial or demo,...
Do You Need a Management Visa to Own a Japan Company You Run From Abroad? (2026)
No. A foreign national can own and hold a director title in a Japan KK or GK entirely from overseas, with no visa or status of residence at all, because Japan abolished the...
Can You Use a Pure Import Agent in Japan Instead of an IOR or ACP? (2026)
No. Japan has no legal category for a pure import agent who neither takes title to the goods nor becomes the named importer. The Customs Act (関税法) requires whoever appears on the import...