Shipping from China to Moji
China → Moji · via FUK air / Moji sea · clearance by Japan Customs (税関)

We move freight cargo from South China into Moji through FUK air / Moji sea. Moji is Kanmon Strait port serving northern Kyushu industry, which shapes the kind of cargo that moves on this lane and how it should be packed.
Clearance itself is handled by Japan Customs (税関), and typical dwell at the gateway runs 1–3 days.
Routing and transit on this lane
Japan is a fast, high-compliance lane: Shanghai and Qingdao to Tokyo or Osaka is 3–6 days by sea and often next-day by air. Clearance itself is quick, but the standards regime is unforgiving — PSE and Giteki marking must be correct before the goods ship, because there is no way to remediate at the border.
| Air gateways used | NRT (Narita), HND (Haneda), KIX (Osaka Kansai) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 1–3 business days |
| Sea gateways used | Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka |
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 3–6 calendar days |
| Gateway serving Moji | FUK air / Moji sea |
| Inland leg to Moji | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 1–3 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
Import duty and tax position for Moji
Imports into Japan are cleared by Japan Customs (税関). The headline position is: Consumption tax 10%; duty 0–15% on most manufactured goods, higher on leather, footwear and food. The de-minimis threshold is JPY 10,000 customs value (some categories excluded).
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: PSE mark for electrical appliances; Giteki/MIC certification for radio devices; Food Sanitation Act notification for food-contact items. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Japan: Electrical products without a valid PSE mark cannot be imported. Radio devices need Giteki certification. Amazon FBA Japan requires an Importer of Record that is not Amazon, so confirm who the IOR will be before booking a DDP move.

Air, sea or overland into Moji?
| Mode | Transit to gateway | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| ✈️ Air Freight | 1–3 business days | time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo |
| 🚢 Sea Freight | 3–6 calendar days | volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed |
Transit shown is China departure to the Japan gateway and excludes the same-day inland leg to Moji and 1–3 days of clearance.
What to sort out before the cargo leaves China
- Check the de-minimis position (JPY 10,000 customs value (some categories excluded)) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
- Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) — the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders up front — retro-declaring after booking usually means re-planning the whole shipment.
- Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
- Budget for the inland leg: same-day delivery beyond gateway clearance to reach Moji.
Mode guides for Moji
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Moji take?
China to the Japan gateway is 1–3 business days by air, 3–6 calendar days by sea. On top of that, allow 1–3 days of clearance with Japan Customs (税関) and a same-day inland leg to Moji.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Moji?
Japan Customs (税関) applies: Consumption tax 10%; duty 0–15% on most manufactured goods, higher on leather, footwear and food. The de-minimis position is JPY 10,000 customs value (some categories excluded). Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Moji.
Can you deliver door-to-door in Moji?
Yes. Delivery to a Moji address is quoted as one figure covering freight, duty and tax owed to Japan Customs (税関), and the same-day inland leg. Confirm whether your consignee wants the goods at a warehouse, a marketplace fulfillment center or a shop front, because the last-mile requirement differs.
When is the busiest time on the China–Japan lane?
Space and rates tighten around Sep–Nov, plus the China-side windows of Chinese New Year in January or February and Golden Week in early October. Book one to two weeks earlier in those periods.
Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Moji?
Yes. Battery cargo by air follows IATA PI 965–970 depending on how the cells are packed, and moves on certified channels via NRT (Narita), HND (Haneda), KIX (Osaka Kansai). Surcharges apply and the declaration has to be made before booking.
What certification do I need for Japan?
For regulated goods, plan for: PSE mark for electrical appliances; Giteki/MIC certification for radio devices; Food Sanitation Act notification for food-contact items. Missing conformity paperwork is the single most common cause of a hold, and in most cases it cannot be remedied once the cargo has arrived.
Other delivery cities in Japan
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Japan change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling — confirm the current position for your own HS code with Japan Customs (税関) or your broker before you ship.
- Japan Customs
- METI — Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Act (PSE)
- MIC — radio equipment certification
- WTO — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- IATA — Lithium battery shipping guidance (PI 965–970)
- World Bank — Logistics Performance Index
- ICC — Incoterms 2020 rules (DDP, DAP, FOB definitions)
- IPPC — ISPM 15 wood packaging standard
Page data last reviewed: 10 月 2026.
Shipping by industry
This page covers the route and clearance picture for the destination. Packing, classification and the compliance step that actually holds a shipment depend on what you are sending — these guides cover that by commodity.
- Sanitary Ware Building Materials & Construction Products
- Cartons Wood, Bamboo & Paper Products
- Flexible Packaging Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Home Decor Furniture & Home Products
- Technical Textiles Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Outdoor Products Toys, Sports, Outdoor & Leisure
- Fasteners Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Electric Motors General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Wire & Cable New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Wall Panels Building Materials & Construction Products
- Injection Molded Parts Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Furniture Furniture & Home Products
Checking the Japan duty position yourself
We publish these figures so you can budget, but the assessment that binds is the one Japan Customs makes on your declaration. Where a shipment is large enough that a percentage point matters, check their current tariff guidance rather than ours.
Classification drives everything downstream: the same carton can attract very different duty depending on the heading it lands in, and the structure those headings come from is the World Customs Organization Harmonized System. If your product sits near a boundary between two headings, resolve it before shipping rather than at the border.
For ocean cargo, restricted commodities move under the IMO's IMDG Code, and the container has to be declared and stowed accordingly. Batteries, flammables and corrosives all have a compliant ocean path; what causes rolled bookings is finding out about them after the container is packed.
If this is your first shipment into Japan, the Japan Country Commercial Guide covers the practical import environment in more depth than a rate page reasonably can, and it is written by a party with no stake in your booking.
Watch: the process behind this route
This guide covers routing and clearance for Moji. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
Bill of Lading Explained (BOL) | Types, Components & Full Beginner Guide | Shipping Document — 10 Min For Supply Chain. Published on YouTube by a third party; we link it because it explains the process well, not because we produced it or endorse the provider.
Customs clearance in Japan
Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border — plus who files the entry.
Japan clearance requirements →Priced routes to Japan
- Shekou to Hitachinaka FCL Ocean Freight Rates | 20GP & 40HQ
- Shipping a Container from Shekou to Tokyo: Cost & Transit
- Nansha to Moji FCL Ocean Freight Rates | 20GP & 40HQ
- Shekou to Moji FCL Ocean Freight Rates | 20GP & 40HQ
- Shipping a Container from Shekou to Yokohama: Cost & Transit
- Nansha to Osaka FCL Ocean Freight Rates | 20GP & 40HQ
