🚢 Sea Freight

Sea Freight from China to Tokyo

China → Tokyo · via NRT/HND air / Tokyo sea · clearance by Japan Customs (税関)

Cargo handling on the China–Tokyo lane.

We move sea freight cargo from South China into Tokyo through NRT/HND air / Tokyo sea. Tokyo is the largest consumer and distribution market in Japan, which shapes the kind of cargo that moves on this lane and how it should be packed.

On the destination side, Japan Customs (税関) handles clearance; budget 1–3 days of dwell before the cargo is released.

What you will pay on arrival in Japan

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.

How this lane actually runs

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.

Sea gateways used	Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka
Sea transit, China to gateway	3–6 calendar days
Gateway serving Tokyo	NRT/HND air / Tokyo sea
Inland leg to Tokyo	Same day from the gateway
Typical clearance / dwell	1–3 days
Peak season to plan around	Sep–Nov

Container terminal operations used on the China to Tokyo (Japan) freight lane — Handling on the NRT/HND air / Tokyo sea routing serving Tokyo.

What to sort out before the cargo leaves China

Confirm the consignee in Tokyo can act as importer of record — Japan Customs (税関) will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Sep–Nov, when space on this lane tightens.
Budget for the inland leg: same-day delivery beyond gateway clearance to reach Tokyo.
Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
Get the conformity paperwork moving early: PSE mark for electrical appliances; Giteki/MIC certification for radio devices; Food Sanitation Act notification for food-contact items.
Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the Japan duty rate against it yourself.

Frequently asked questions

How long does shipping from China to Tokyo take?

China to the Japan gateway is 3–6 calendar days. On top of that, allow 1–3 days of clearance with Japan Customs (税関) and a same-day inland leg to Tokyo.

What duty and tax will I pay importing into Tokyo?

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 Tokyo.

What documents does Japan Customs (税関) require?

A commercial invoice with HS codes, a packing list, the bill of lading or air waybill, a certificate of origin where it lowers duty, and any product certification (PSE mark for electrical appliances; Giteki/MIC certification for radio devices; Food Sanitation Act notification for food-contact items). We prepare and file these as part of the service.

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.

Can you deliver door-to-door in Tokyo?

Yes. Delivery to a Tokyo 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.

Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Tokyo?

Yes. Battery cargo by sea moves under UN3480/UN3481 with an MSDS, and the dangerous-goods documentation is prepared as part of the booking into Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka. Surcharges apply and space is more limited than for general cargo.

Other delivery cities in Japan

All Japan freight information →

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.

Page data last reviewed: 8 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.

All 139 industry guides →

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.

For a wider view of how importing into Japan actually works — documentation norms, inspection behavior, the paperwork that tends to hold shipments — the U.S. ITA guide to Japan customs regulations is a useful independent read alongside our own lane notes.

Watch: the process behind this route

This guide covers routing and clearance for Tokyo. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.

Bills of Lading 101 - What Is a Bill of Lading — Flexport. 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.

Get a rate for Tokyo

This lane is quoted per shipment rather than from a published rate card, because the landed cost depends on the commodity, its density, the conformity requirements above and the delivery point. Send the cargo details and we will come back with a full DDP figure.

Request a quote → See the Japan route page →

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 →