Insights & Guides
Practical knowledge on Japan market entry — from company setup and visas to trade logistics and branding.
Does Japan Charge Antidumping Duty on an IOR-Cleared Shipment, and Who Is Liable for It? (2026)
Yes. If the imported goods fall within an active Japan antidumping duty order by HS code and country of origin, the duty applies at the border regardless of the import structure used. Under an...
Does a Warranty Replacement Unit Need Its Own IOR Appointment in Japan? (2026 Guide)
No. The Importer of Record (IOR) engagement itself does not need to be re-signed when a warranty replacement unit ships into Japan. What does need to happen again is the import declaration (輸入申告)...
Can You Use a Pure Agent to Import Into Japan Without Taking Title? (2026)
No. Japan has no legal category for a pure import agent who is not the importer and holds no title to the goods. The Customs Act (関税法) puts duty liability and disposition authority on the importer...
Which Banks Can Actually Pay Japan Customs Duty Directly for an IOR? (2026)
Only a bank on NACCS Center's published list of participating financial institutions can pay Japan customs duty and import consumption tax by direct debit at declaration time. Most Japanese...
Can a Japan Importer of Record Import Goods Before You Have a Buyer? (2026)
Yes. A Japan Importer of Record can bring goods into Japan and hold them before a downstream buyer is secured, provided a disposal path is agreed before the import declaration (輸入申告) is filed, not...
EAR99 Self-Classification Contested at Japan Import: What Happens Next (2026)
When Japan Customs or an importer's own compliance review questions an EAR99 self-classification, the shipment does not clear on the shipper's label alone. The importer of record independently...
Does a Japan Product Label Have to Name Your Importer? (2026 Guide)
Yes, in two distinct regimes, and the name is not a formality. Whoever appears as the responsible party under the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Act (電気用品安全法) PSE marking becomes Japan's...
Can You Use a Japan IOR to Import Goods Before You Have a Buyer Lined Up? (2026)
Yes. A Japan Importer of Record can bring goods into the country before a downstream buyer is secured, but only as a structured hold, not an open-ended parking arrangement. The importer of record...
Can You Stay the Exporter of Record on a Japan Export? Client-Named-Exporter EOR Explained (2026)
Yes. Under a Client-Named-Exporter EOR structure, your company, or a named non-resident principal, stays the named exporter on the export declaration (輸出申告), and Aplash coordinates the filing as...
How Japan Customs Identifies the Real Importer in 2026: Reseller Deals vs Name-Lending
Japan Customs looks past the name printed on the import declaration (輸入申告) and asks who actually held disposal authority (処分の権限) over the goods at the moment of filing, and whose account bore the...