Japanese Customs/Import Tariffs/Charges

Hi all,

I'm hoping someone here has experience in 'importing' goods into Japan from abroad.

I'd like to 'import' a smartphone from the UK. As in, my mum would send it to my Japanese address.

Would I receive the phone all fine and willy nilly and then get a separate letter detailing the tax I need to pay? Or, do they hold the phone and send out such a letter; then only after paying they would release it?

This is a develish and probably naive question; But if I ask my mum to put the value of the contents at a much lower rate - how would customs officer prove otherwise? It could be pre-owned, it could be super old - what's the best way of doing this? It's not being sent directly from the supplier. It's my mum sending it.

Any advice or opinions are highly valued. Thanks.

Would I receive the phone all fine and willy nilly and then get a separate letter detailing the tax I need to pay? Or, do they hold the phone and send out such a letter; then only after paying they would release it?

It works more like COD. As they deliver the phone you will have to pay the courier whatever the applied tax is. They will then give you your package.

This is a develish and probably naive question; But if I ask my mum to put the value of the contents at a much lower rate - how would customs officer prove otherwise? It could be pre-owned, it could be super old - what's the best way of doing this?

They could open the package and inspect the contents. Tax is assessed based on the item's perceived value, not its listed value. That said, you could try to declare the item a gift. There is a chance that that could avoid taxes with less expensive items, but a cell phone will likely still be taxed.

Anyway, with an phone I think it's best to declare the full value and just pay the tax. Reasoning being, you'll want to insure the package against loss or damage in transit which is more valuable than the few thousand yen you might save.

I'll probably list it's actual value for postage reasons then. I'd be upset if their percieved value was much higher than it actually is though. "Huh? Non-Nihon made phone, what is such magical device? 100,000 yen additional tax"

"Huh? Non-Nihon made phone, what is such magical device? 100,000 yen additional tax"

Well it's pretty trivial to look up the msrp.. Think more 5000-6000 yen for a current model smartphone.

Ship by regular air mail and it'll probably just slip through, no tax. Ship via courier and guaranteed to pay tax.

If the merchandise is sent via postal service, then upon entry in Japan the customs office of Japan assesses it, might decide to impose taxes on it, and the mailman will deliver it to your door with a tax invoice on it, to be paid upon receipt. Recently I had a piece of silver jewelry sent to me (purchased from a seller in the States), and as the value was not that big as to be classified as luxury good (import duty will apply), it came with a tax invoice just for the consumption taxes (as if I bought it in Japan), which I paid at the door, got the receipt, and received the item.

If it is sent via Fedex, you will receive the item (with a note that a letter about taxes will follow), and will receive the letter later with an invoice, which you pay later. (At least that's what happened to me a few months ago.)

Someone in the States bought something for me and sent it to me declared as a "gift," and I did not have to pay any consumption taxes on it.

Oh yea, definitely don't ship by courier unless you want to pay expensive shipping fees and automatic customs (and processing) fees. Regular mail is best. Taxes probably will be assessed, but there's always the small chance that they won't.

Appreciate the opinions and experience. But I can't send a new phone using just airmail, that's too much of a risk. What will happen is I'll put the value at a little under 10,000yen and as a gift. It'll be sent via track and traced royal mail - so it wont get lost (not sure if that's a courier service or not as their actual courier listed is Parcelforce - which is a lot more expensive).

And see what happens. If it is taxed at the 8% rate that's okay I guess. I know things like leather and some other products are heavily scrutinized and taxed more - up to 30% or something?

Maybe this can become a thread where people share their experiences for other folk interested. I'll update when it arrives and under what circumstances!

Royal Mail 'To Sign For' is still 'regular' air mail and unlikely to get checked or hit for tax (as opposed to SURELY getting taxed via courrier). Parcel Force will also get taxed, but in any case your phone is too light for them. They deal with over 2kg or something.

Appreciate the opinions and experience. But I can't send a new phone using just airmail, that's too much of a risk. What will happen is I'll put the value at a little under 10,000yen and as a gift. It'll be sent via track and traced royal mail - so it wont get lost (not sure if that's a courier service or not as their actual courier listed is Parcelforce - which is a lot more expensive).

That is sending it by airmail. For what i's worth, I've imported electronics before and if I recall correctly the import tax was 8%. Also, my packages were alway opened and inspected regardless of what I put down on the forms, but your results may vary. I'd still recommend listing the full value for insurance reasons. 5000 yen in taxes is a small price to pay compared to having your expensive phone stolen out of the mail or lost in transit.

import tax for smartphone is zero.
if you buy it from a seller, the sales tax (8%) may be charged.
if your mother send it as a gift, it should be zero, because she is not a seller.
write the truth on the strip honestly.

technically, the USE of foreign (imported) smartphone is illegal in Japan, except for temporary tourists.

Up to certain declared value, there is no duty/tax. Yours is not expensive. So, perhaps you wold not have to pay anything.

If anybody wants to know I paid no fees. It was listed as a gift and as items it was not - i.e wallet, watch etc and a lower declared value than is technically true.