Industrial Equipment Importer of Record in Japan (消防法 / 高圧ガス保安法)
Need to bring machinery, a demo unit, or trade-show equipment into Japan but have no local company to clear it? Aplash becomes your Importer of Record (IOR): the legal importer named on the customs entry. We file under the Customs Act (関税法) in our own name, and we coordinate any permits triggered by the Fire Service Act (消防法) or the High Pressure Gas Safety Act (高圧ガス保安法). If your shipment is temporary, for example a trade show or an R&D loaner, an ATA Carnet can bring it in without paying duty, provided it leaves Japan again within the carnet's validity period.
How it works
An Importer of Record (IOR) is the company legally responsible for bringing goods through customs. Aplash takes that role so you can sell into Japan without a local entity.
- 1Free commodity assessmentSend your product details. We confirm whether Aplash can be your importer and give you a quote, at no cost.
- 2We import as your Importer of RecordAplash clears customs in its own name under the Customs Act (関税法) and arranges any permits or certifications your goods need.
- 3Delivered to your Japan buyerWe hand the goods to your Japan-side buyer and invoice transparently, so you sell in Japan with no company of your own there.
What Aplash handles
- Importer of Record for industrial machinery, manufacturing equipment, capital goods, R&D equipment, and demonstration units.
- Coordination of Fire Service Act (消防法) hazardous-materials storage permits, required when equipment contains hazardous materials (危険物: fuels, oils, solvents) above the per-class storage threshold.
- Coordination under the High Pressure Gas Safety Act (高圧ガス保安法) for pressurized vessels, compressed-gas equipment, and refrigeration units above the regulated threshold.
- HS classification for complex, multi-component machinery.
- ATA Carnet coordination for temporary admission (trade shows, demonstrations, R&D loaner equipment).
- End-user verification for equipment that overlaps with FEFTA (machinery with dual-use characteristics).
What we do not handle
- Physical installation or commissioning labor. Out of scope; we refer you to a local engineering partner.
- Equipment that falls under FEFTA dual-use control without a completed applicability determination (該非判定). We redirect this to the dual-use subpage.
- Nuclear-related industrial equipment, isotope handlers, or accelerator parts. Declined by default; restricted scope.
- Heavy machinery that needs specialized crane or transport beyond a bonded warehouse. We coordinate; we are not the principal logistics provider.
- Used industrial equipment with unclear regulatory status (for example, refurbished medical-imaging equipment at the food-pharma boundary). Handled case by case in a pre-engagement assessment.
Equipment categories handled
- Machinery and capital goods (production lines, machine tools, robotics).
- R&D equipment and laboratory instruments.
- Demonstration units and trade-show loaner equipment.
- Industrial-grade electrical equipment, where it overlaps with the Electrical Appliance Safety Act (電安法).
What triggers a permit
- Fire Service Act (消防法) storage threshold: triggered when the volume of hazardous materials (危険物: fuels, oils, solvents) exceeds the per-class threshold.
- High Pressure Gas vessel rule: triggered when pressure or volume exceeds the thresholds set by the High Pressure Gas Safety Act (高圧ガス保安法).
- Electrical Appliance Safety Act (電安法) overlap: industrial-grade electrical equipment that falls within PSE scope.
ATA Carnet temporary admission
An ATA Carnet is an international customs document that lets you bring goods into Japan temporarily, for example for trade shows, demonstrations, or R&D loaner equipment, without paying import duty. The only condition is that the goods leave Japan again before the carnet expires. Aplash coordinates the carnet endorsement on entry and confirms re-export at the end.
Dual-use overlap warning
Machine tools, precision instruments, and semiconductor manufacturing equipment often have dual-use characteristics under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act (外為法). Before Aplash accepts the engagement, an applicability determination (該非判定) must confirm the equipment is clear of export controls. See the dual-use subpage.
Pricing band
Standard industrial equipment (no permit required, single shipment, EAR99): from $2,800 per shipment. Permit coordination (Fire Service Act / High Pressure Gas Safety Act): from $4,800 per shipment, plus permit application fees. ATA Carnet temporary admission: from $1,800 per event.
Customs duty and Japanese consumption tax (JCT) are passed on at cost. Aplash earns no margin on the goods, only on the service.
Not sure if your goods qualify?
Send the product details. We confirm whether Aplash can import it and quote against the public pricing band before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a Fire Service Act (消防法) permit for industrial equipment?
A permit is required when the equipment is stored above the per-class threshold for hazardous materials (危険物: fuels, oils, solvents) set out in the Fire Service Act schedule. Aplash coordinates the storage permit application and the registered handler appointment.
What is an ATA Carnet?
An ATA Carnet is an international customs document that lets you bring goods into Japan temporarily, for example for trade shows, demonstrations, or R&D loaner equipment, without paying import duty, as long as the goods are re-exported within the carnet's validity period. Aplash coordinates the carnet endorsement and re-export confirmation.
Can Aplash handle semiconductor manufacturing equipment?
Semiconductor manufacturing equipment frequently has dual-use characteristics under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act (外為法). An applicability determination (該非判定) is required before Aplash accepts the engagement; see the dual-use subpage.
Do you install equipment on site?
No. Installation and commissioning fall outside Aplash's IOR scope. We coordinate clearance to a bonded warehouse or to the consignee's facility; installation is the manufacturer's or the local engineering partner's role.
I have compressed-gas equipment. Do I need a High Pressure Gas permit?
A permit is required when the vessel's pressure or volume exceeds the regulated threshold under the High Pressure Gas Safety Act (高圧ガス保安法). Aplash coordinates the permit and the registered handler appointment with the local High Pressure Gas Safety Association (高圧ガス保安協会) partner.
Applicable law and standards
- Customs Act (関税法)
- Fire Service Act (消防法)
- High Pressure Gas Safety Act (高圧ガス保安法)
Related pages
Equipment imports start with HS classification and a permit-trigger review. We confirm whether the Fire Service Act, the High Pressure Gas Safety Act, or FEFTA applies before issuing a quote.