Insights & Guides
Practical knowledge on Japan market entry — from company setup and visas to trade logistics and branding.
Japan IOR and ACP for US Manufacturers: How to Import to Japan Without a Japan Entity (2026 Guide)
US manufacturers exporting to Japan through Japanese distributors or trading companies as nominal importers are carrying customs exposure that has been explicitly non-compliant since the October...
Japan ACP for European Manufacturers: How to Use EU-Japan EPA Tariff Preferences Without a Japan Entity
The EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (commonly known as JEEPA) eliminated or significantly reduced import tariff rates on a wide range of European manufactured goods entering Japan....
Japan EOR for Game Studios and Interactive Entertainment Companies: Hiring Developers, Artists, and Producers Without a Japan Entity
Japan holds one of the deepest concentrations of games industry talent in the world. Pixel artists, 3D character modelers, engine programmers, QA engineers, and experienced producers are available...
Japan IOR for High-Value Luxury Goods: Watches, Jewelry, and Art
Importing luxury goods into Japan requires more than an efficient freight pathway. Watches carrying royalty arrangements, jewelry procured through related-party transactions, and artwork subject...
Japan ACP for Korean Manufacturers: How to Stay Named as Importer on Japan Customs Declarations Without a Japan Entity
Korean manufacturers exporting to Japan through Japanese trading companies or distributors as nominal importers are operating under a customs structure that the October 2023 Japan Customs reform...
EOR vs Independent Contractor in Japan: Why Misclassification Is the Highest Risk for Foreign Companies Hiring Without an Entity
When a foreign company needs someone working in Japan, the default instinct is to engage them as an independent contractor. No entity needed, no payroll infrastructure, no social insurance...
Japan IOR for Industrial Machinery, Heavy Equipment, and Manufacturing Plant Imports
Importing a 200-tonne press line, a complete paint shop system, or a multi-stage processing plant into Japan is a different problem from importing a pallet of electronic components. The goods are...
Japan ACP for China-Based Manufacturers: How to Stay Named as Importer on Japan Customs Declarations Without a Japan Entity
China is Japan's largest import source by volume. The customs arrangements that historically governed the China-Japan trade flow were built around a model that the October 2023 Japan Customs...
Japan IOR for Food and Beverage Brands: Customs Structure, Food Safety Notification, and How to Import Without a Japan Entity
Food and beverage imports need two approvals: customs clearance under the Customs Act (関税法), and a food import notification under the Food Sanitation Act (食品衛生法) filed with the Ministry of Health,...
Japan IOR for Apparel and Fashion Brands: How Foreign Labels Import Without a Japan Entity
Entering the Japan apparel market without a local entity is more common than it looks from the outside. Department store wholesale, multi-brand retailer consignment, and pop-up retail all happen...