Insights & Guides
Practical knowledge on Japan market entry — from company setup and visas to trade logistics and branding.
Importer of Record vs Consignee in Japan: Why the Difference Determines Who Is Legally Liable for Your Shipment (2026)
Foreign shippers new to the Japan market often use "consignee" and "importer" as if they were interchangeable. They are not, and the gap between them is where a surprising number of first-time...
Japan EOR and the Twice-Yearly Bonus: How Employer of Record Handles Shoyo (賞与) and Total Compensation Planning (2026)
A foreign company hiring its first employee in Japan through an Employer of Record (EOR) arrangement typically anchors its budget on gross monthly salary and a handful of statutory add-ons. What...
Japan IOR for China-Made Electronics: Why PSE and the Notifying Supplier Model Break Down When the Factory Is in China
A brand sourcing consumer electronics from a Chinese contract manufacturer usually arrives at Japan market entry already holding a stack of paperwork it believes proves compliance: a China...
Japan IOR for Chinese Manufacturers: Supplier Due Diligence and Sourcing-Side Compliance Before You Ship
A brand sourcing from a Chinese factory and shipping into Japan under an Importer of Record (IOR) arrangement often assumes the compliance work starts at the port. It does not. The customs...
What Happens When Japan Customs Holds Your IOR Shipment? Detention, Inspection, and How to Respond (2026)
A shipment that was supposed to clear routinely is instead sitting at a bonded area with a customs inspection flag on it, and the factory overseas is asking why the goods have not arrived. If your...
Japan IOR for Marine, Boating, and Watercraft Equipment: Import Compliance for Foreign Manufacturers (2026)
Foreign manufacturers of marine engines, boat hulls, marine electronics, and watercraft accessories face a recurring structural problem when entering the Japanese market: marinas, boat builders,...
Japan ACP for Philippine Manufacturers: Non-Resident Importer Setup Under JPEPA and RCEP (2026)
Many Philippine manufacturers in electronics components, automotive parts, and machinery reach the Japan market through a local intermediary or distributor who appears as importer of record on the...
Japan EOR vs. Branch Office: Which Actually Gets Your First Local Hire on Payroll Faster (2026)
Foreign companies deciding to put a person on the ground in Japan usually reach for one of two structures before they have committed to a full subsidiary: hire the person through an Employer of...
Japan ACP for Malaysian Manufacturers: Non-Resident Importer Setup Under JMEPA, CPTPP, and RCEP (2026)
Malaysian manufacturers exporting to Japan sit under three overlapping frameworks: a long-standing bilateral agreement, a plurilateral agreement Malaysia joined more recently, and a broad regional...
Japan ACP for Hong Kong Manufacturers and Trading Companies: Non-Resident Importer Setup for an Entrepot Hub (2026)
Hong Kong occupies a different position in this series than the manufacturing-origin jurisdictions covered elsewhere. A large share of Hong Kong-incorporated companies selling into Japan are not...