Insights & Guides
Practical knowledge on Japan market entry — from company setup and visas to trade logistics and branding.
Winding Down a Japan IOR or ACP Arrangement: What Happens When You Stop Selling in Japan (2026)
Every guide to entering Japan without an entity covers onboarding in detail. Almost none cover what happens when a company decides to stop. Whether the reason is a strategic pivot, a disappointing...
Who Is Liable If Your Japan Customs Declaration Is Wrong Under ACP? (2026)
Non-resident importers who choose ACP (Attorney for Customs Procedures / 税関事務管理人) specifically because they want to remain the named importer on their own customs declarations sometimes assume...
Does Japan EOR Cover Parental and Childcare Leave? What Foreign Employers Need to Know (2026)
A foreign company hiring its first employee in Japan through an EOR (Employer of Record) arrangement usually plans around salary, social insurance cost, and notice periods. Parental and childcare...
Who Insures the Goods During a Japan IOR Import? Cargo Insurance, Bailee Liability, and What's Actually Covered (2026)
Foreign manufacturers setting up an Importer of Record (IOR) arrangement in Japan usually ask about customs clearance timelines, duty rates, and consumption tax recovery first. Insurance comes up...
Japan IOR for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Equipment: Import Compliance for Green Energy Manufacturers (2026)
Japan has committed to hydrogen as a core pillar of its energy strategy, and foreign manufacturers of electrolyzers, fuel cell stacks, hydrogen storage vessels, and refueling station components...
Japan ACP for Indonesian Manufacturers: Non-Resident Importer Setup Under IJEPA and RCEP (2026)
Indonesian manufacturers shipping to Japan sit in an unusual position: two separate trade agreements with Japan already apply to their exports, yet most sellers still route every shipment through...
How to Set Up an Importer of Record in Japan: The Complete Process (2026)
Once a company decides it needs an Importer of Record (IOR) in Japan, the next question is almost always practical: what actually has to happen, in what order, before the first shipment can clear...
Do You Need an IOR in Japan? The Signs You're Ready (2026)
Most foreign companies find their way to an Importer of Record (IOR) conversation for one of two reasons: a shipment already got stuck at Japan Customs, or someone on the team asked "wait, who is...
Japan IOR for HVAC, Climate Control, and Industrial Cooling Equipment: Import Compliance for Foreign Manufacturers (2026)
Foreign manufacturers of HVAC systems, industrial chillers, precision climate control units, and cooling systems for data centers, cleanrooms, and manufacturing facilities are shipping...
ACP vs Tax Representative in Japan: Two Different Non-Resident Appointments Importers Often Confuse
Non-resident companies setting up to import into Japan routinely assume that appointing an Attorney for Customs Procedures (税関事務管理人, ACP) covers their entire non-resident compliance obligation. It...