Insights & Guides
Practical knowledge on Japan market entry — from company setup and visas to trade logistics and branding.
Japan IOR for Lithium Battery Imports: The DG Compliance and Customs Structure Every Battery Shipper Must Get Right
Lithium battery shipments to Japan sit at the intersection of two distinct compliance layers that most manufacturers conflate until something goes wrong at the port. The first layer is transport...
How to Hire Your First Employee in Japan Without Setting Up a Company (2026 EOR Guide)
Japan has some of the most employee-protective labor law in the world. There is no at-will employment. Dismissing an employee who underperforms requires documented grounds, a process, and a paper...
Japan IOR for B2B Manufacturers: How to Ship to Japanese Distributors and Buyers After the 2023 Reform
For years, overseas manufacturers shipping goods into Japan under a distribution agreement followed a straightforward customs arrangement: name the Japanese distributor as the importer of record...
How to Import from China to Japan - Duties, Compliance and Market Entry Guide 2026
From Chinese Factory to Japan Customs Clearance: What Every Exporter and Buyer Needs to Know
IOR vs ACP for Japan Imports - Which Structure Do You Need in 2026?
Two Legal Pathways for Non-Resident Importers: What Separates Them and When to Use Each
Should You Import Into Japan Via ACP or Set Up a Full Entity? (2026)
The break-even between staying non-resident with ACP and incorporating a Japan entity sits at roughly one to two employees: below that, ACP plus an Exporter/Employer of Record arrangement is...
EOR Labor Compliance - Japan's Employment Rules for Foreign Companies
What Your Employer of Record Must Get Right - And What You Need to Know
Do You Need an IOR or ACP to Sell on Amazon Japan or Rakuten as a Non-Resident? (2026)
Neither Amazon nor Rakuten will act as your Importer of Record, so a non-resident seller shipping inventory to an FBA or Rakuten warehouse needs one of two customs structures: an Importer of...
IOR and EOR in Japan: How to Import and Export Without a Japan Entity (2026 Guide)
Importer of Record (IOR) and Exporter of Record (EOR) let a non-resident company move goods into and out of Japan under the Customs Act (関税法) without incorporating a Japan entity. IOR covers the...
Importing Dangerous Goods to Japan — IATA, IMDG & Regulatory Compliance Guide 2026
Lithium Batteries, Compressed Gases, Chemicals, and Hazardous Materials: What Japan Requires Before Your Shipment Clears Customs