Does transshipment goods need to go through Japanese customs? Does anyone who knows about this care to share?
Solved#Entrepot trade#
I've been doing business related to transshipment trade recently, and the goods may involve passing through Japan. I'd like to know whether transshipment trade needs to go through Japanese customs. If it does, will the procedures be very complicated? What documents are needed to be prepared? I hope friends with experience can help answer these questions. This is very important for my subsequent business planning. Thank you all in advance.
Professional consultant answers
Emily LiuYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
Settlement and payment expertConsult
Whether transshipment goods need to go through Japanese customs depends on the specific trade arrangements. If the goods are only transshipped at a Japanese port without entering Japanese territory, usually there is no need to go through the regular customs clearance procedures of Japanese customs. This is called "direct transshipment", and the goods can complete the loading, unloading and transshipment operations at the dock.
However, if the goods are to enter Japanese territory for temporary storage, repackaging, etc., they need to go through Japanese customs. At this time, the procedures are more complicated, and commercial invoices need to be prepared to detail the information and value of the goods; bills of lading or air waybills are needed to prove the transportation of the goods; packing lists are needed to indicate the packing situation of the goods. In addition, specific documents such as certificates of origin may also be required, depending on the nature of the goods and trade terms.
It is recommended to communicate with freight forwarders or customs brokers in advance to ensure compliance and smooth operation.
Andrew HuangYears of service：7Customer Rating：5.0
Supply chain optimization expertConsult
Generally, if the goods are not unloaded and are directly transshipped on the ship, basically there is no need to go through Japanese customs. If the goods need to be stored in a certain place in Japan for a period of time before being transshipped, then the customs procedures must be followed.
Elizabeth LiYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Compliance and risk managerConsult
If the goods go through a Japanese bonded area, some operations can be completed within the bonded area, and it is not necessarily completely in accordance with the regular customs procedures. However, it depends on the regulations of the bonded area.
Jennifer WangYears of service：4Customer Rating：5.0
Market development consultantConsult
If in transshipment trade the goods only pass by the Japanese sea area without entering the territorial sea and docking, surely there is no need to go through Japanese customs. Once docking, it's another story.
Sarah ZhangYears of service：8Customer Rating：5.0
Document expertConsult
In terms of documents, besides the common invoices and bills of lading, for some special goods, relevant permission documents may also be required. It is best to check clearly before going through Japanese customs.
Joseph ZhouYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
Senior foreign trade managerConsult
If it involves reselling the goods to local Japanese enterprises, even if they are transshipped out later, basically the Japanese customs need to be gone through to handle the relevant procedures.
Robert ChenYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Customer service consultantConsult
You can consult professional institutions like Zhongshitong. They are very familiar with Japanese customs policies and transshipment trade procedures and can give accurate suggestions.
Amanda YangYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Cost control consultantConsult
Sometimes even if the goods do not enter Japan, in order to comply with relevant international transportation rules, some information may also need to be reported to Japanese customs.
David LiYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Senior customs declaration consultantConsult
The declared value of the goods is also very important. When going through Japanese customs, if the declaration is unreasonable, there may be trouble.
Michelle ChenYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Business coordination consultantConsult
Japanese customs have different inspection intensities for different types of goods. For sensitive goods going through customs, documents need to be prepared more carefully.