Shipping to Japan from Portugal

Under the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA, in force since February 2019), most EU-manufactured goods qualify for 0% import duty. Include the EU origin statement on your commercial invoice to claim the EPA rate. Food tariffs were also significantly reduced — wine went from 15% to 0%, olive oil from 10.6% to 0%. JCT (10%) still applies to all taxable imports regardless of EPA preference.

Add this text to your commercial invoice: 'The exporter of the products covered by this document declares that, except where otherwise clearly indicated, these products are of EU preferential origin.' This statement must be in English. For shipments above €6,000 value, you must be a Registered Exporter (REX) in Portugal to make this declaration. For shipments below €6,000, any exporter can make the statement.

All food imports to Japan require a MHLW Food Import Notification (食品等輸入届出書) filed before the shipment arrives. Certain foods require prior approval. Japanese Food Sanitation Law sets maximum residue limits for pesticides, additives and contaminants — EU-permitted levels may exceed Japanese limits for some ingredients. Japanese-language labelling is required for all consumer food products. Engage a Japanese food import agent for first-time food exports.

Commercial cosmetics exports to Japan require that the Japanese importer holds a CMAH (Cosmetics Marketing Authorisation Holder) licence — a Japanese regulatory licence that is the responsibility of the Japanese buyer, not the Portuguese exporter. Japan prohibits some ingredients that are permitted in EU cosmetics. Ensure your Japanese business customer holds the appropriate licence before commercial cosmetics export.

JCT (Japanese Consumption Tax) is Japan's VAT at 10% standard rate (8% on food). On imports, JCT is paid by the Japanese importer to Japan Customs on clearance. B2B importers can claim JCT back as input tax. For B2C e-commerce: Japan does not yet have an equivalent to the EU IOSS scheme — Japanese customs collects JCT on import for B2C parcels above JPY 10,000 value.

DHL Express accepts parcels up to 70 kg per piece to Japan with up to 300 cm girth. FedEx and UPS have similar limits. Japan Customs has no parcel-specific weight restrictions beyond carrier limits, but very heavy parcels may require formal customs entry by a Japanese licensed customs broker. For most commercial express shipments, stay within 30 kg for smoothest clearance. Parcel dimensions should not exceed 274 cm on the longest side for most express services.

Japanese address format for international labels should use the Western order (smallest to largest) in romaji (Latin script): Recipient Name / Building Name + Floor + Room Number (if applicable) / Street Number-Block-Lot (Chome-Ban-Go) / City/Ward (Ku or Shi) / Prefecture / Postcode / JAPAN. Example: Tanaka Hiroshi / Shinjuku Park Tower 32F / 3-7-1 Nishi-Shinjuku / Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo / 163-1032 / JAPAN. Japanese postcodes are 7 digits (format: XXX-XXXX). Always include the recipient's Japanese mobile number — couriers call before delivery. Including the name in Japanese characters (kanji) inside the label is helpful.

Japan Customs (Nihon Kanzei — 日本税関) uses an automated risk-based system. If held: the Japanese importer or the carrier's customs broker receives notification. Common reasons: missing MHLW Food Import Notification (for food), missing Japanese-language labels (for consumer goods), missing CMAH licence (for cosmetics), or suspected under-declaration of value. Resolution requires submission of additional documentation. Japan Customs is efficient — most holds are resolved within 2–5 business days for complete documentation. Physical examination (Red Lane equivalent) adds 3–7 days.

Japan prohibits personal import of: prescription medicines without prior approval (more than a 1-month supply requires MHLW approval); counterfeit goods — Japan Customs very actively seizes IP-infringing items; certain knife types (spring-assisted, double-edged) are restricted under the Firearms and Swords Control Law; drones over 100g operated in Japan require MLIT registration (DIPS system). Certain plant products require Japan Plant Protection Station phytosanitary clearance. Ivory and certain wildlife products (CITES) are strictly prohibited.

DHL Express provides declared value coverage up to their published limits. Standard IATA liability is approximately €22/kg — inadequate for most commercial shipments to Japan. Add declared value insurance at checkout on Cargosender for all Japan-bound shipments over €200. Japan has low pilferage risk but DHL delivery to Japan is highly reliable. For high-value goods — wine, olive oil, ceramics, fashion, electronics — insure at full declared value. Claims must be filed within the carrier's specified window.

DHL Express provides full end-to-end tracking to Japanese addresses, with handoff to Yamato Transport (ヤマト運輸) or Sagawa Express (佐川急便) for last-mile delivery in Japan. Japanese last-mile tracking is extremely granular — Japanese consumers can track to the minute and select specific delivery time windows. DHL MyDelivery Japan allows time-window selection. Japanese recipients are very familiar with Yamato and Sagawa tracking apps. Always include the Japanese recipient's mobile number when booking.

Returns from Japan to Portugal are expensive and require full Japanese customs export procedures. Express return shipping from Japan costs approximately €80–€300+ depending on weight. For commercial B2B returns, coordinate with your Japanese partner to handle locally (replacement, local disposal or credit note) wherever possible. For EU-Japan EPA purposes, goods returned from Japan to Portugal may qualify for EU reimport duty relief under certain conditions — consult a Portuguese customs broker. Samples shipped temporarily to Japan may use a Carnet ATA or Japan's temporary import system.

Japan has the world's most advanced parcel collection infrastructure. Convenience stores (コンビニ — konbini): 7-Eleven, Lawson and FamilyMart operate over 50,000 stores across Japan, all of which function as parcel pickup and drop-off points. Yamato Transport's takkyubin service includes over 4,000 service centres. PUD lockers (Packcity and others) are at train stations. For international parcels arriving via DHL Express or FedEx, packages are delivered direct to the address or held at the carrier's nearest service centre with a delivery notice (不在票 — fuzai-hyo).

Yes — Japan's geography creates remote area surcharges for island and remote addresses. Okinawa and the southern Ryukyu Islands: surcharges of €10–€25 per parcel from international carriers; also add 1–2 extra days. Hokkaido (northernmost main island): standard carrier coverage, minimal surcharges. Remote islands (Ogasawara/Bonin Islands — very remote Pacific island group): very high surcharges and extended transit. Major Japanese metropolitan areas (Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Sapporo) have no remote area surcharges. All surcharges are included in Cargosender's quoted price.

Japanese business deliveries to corporate offices in Tokyo (Marunouchi, Shinjuku, Shibuya) and Osaka (Umeda, Namba) are handled with extreme professionalism — redelivery rates are very low. Residential deliveries use the 不在票 (fuzai-hyo — 'you were out' card) system: if nobody is home, the courier leaves a card with a phone number to schedule redelivery or a convenience store pickup. Japanese residents are very responsive to this system. Yamato Transport and Sagawa Express (domestic last-mile carriers) allow time-window selection via their apps (in Japanese). Always include recipient's mobile number to enable takkyubin delivery time coordination.