RetireJapan

Anyone have experience with importing goods to Japan? More specifically, anyone ever visited Tokyo or Osaka port in person to pickup goods and dealt with Customs Clearance Procedures? I’m currently in talks with a company in China to import some photography tripods. They emailed me this information:

We only can provide service ship to Osaka port. When products arrive Osaka Port, you need to do the customs clearance procedure. I will also provide the Packing List (PL) & Commercial Invoice (CI) documents.

To Osaka port, cost only 120USD, for 10pcs (no matter 1pc or 10pcs, these are all within 1CBM, only charge 120USD)

But the cost not include the destination port when arrive Osaka, this will be charged by the local.

I am new to this world. When visiting, what company documents do I need to prepare? Does one need a special license to import?

For reference, I will order 5 pieces for $75 US value, so $375 US (~¥43,000) total. I found a PDF on the Japan Customs website:
https://www.customs.go.jp/english/c-ans ... X1204e.pdf
I couldn’t find a category for photographic equipment. The closest I could find is "Machinery and electrical equipments” which is duty free. I’m wondering whether Customs will also charge 10% for consumables tax.

Thank you.

The international shipping costs can be less than the domestic charges (customs/local shipping/warehouse etc).

Once I brought in a 20ft container (filled about 20%) of furniture.
I needed a "dray" to take it to the customs office, where they x-rayed it. The customs guy approached a driver 10,000 yen and suggested it.

Another time a large box of stuff. I picked it up at the warehouse and drove it to the customs office (customs guys followed me, lol). We unpacked it and they gave me the Okay.

Both were good (but time-consuming) experiences, and the customs guys probably bent a few rules to let me do this.

They were personal items though, so not really what you are talking about.

Very interesting. Your handle says "Kansai" so I assume Osaka port?

"dray" is an X-ray document? Who is the "driver?" Clive Owen? Or you mean a forklift dock worker? The way it's written it sounded slightly shady…

I have other large shipments of personal items as well in the coming months, so the info is helpful! Thank you for sharing!

glimmer wrote: ↑Thu Oct 21, 2021 5:36 am Very interesting. Your handle says "Kansai" so I assume Osaka port?

"dray" is an X-ray document? Who is the "driver?" Clive Owen? Or you mean a forklift dock worker? The way it's written it sounded slightly shady…

I have other large shipments of personal items as well in the coming months, so the info is helpful! Thank you for sharing!

Kobe was the port.
Dray is what they call a truck that will take a container. Come from "Dray, the heaviest type of dead-axle wagon used in conjunction with a team of draft animals."

I see.
Learned something new today. Never heard of that term before. Thank you.