Moving to Japan – Shipping
We can help you move to Japan.
Japan Luggage Express can help your moving to Japan by arranging customs clearance and delivery of inbound shipments to Japan arriving from other countries – both sea and air shipments.
Pre Arrangement with your mover at the origin:
When you are moving internationally to Japan to reside in Japan and shipping your personal effects internationally from overseas, you will probably use the services of some international moving company or some freight shipping company to ship them to the port or the airport in Japan.
Once the shipment arrives at the port or airport in Japan, international movers like ourselves can arrange customs clearance and delivery to your new residence in Japan.
When your shipment is transported as freight, an air waybill or a bill of lading is issued and on the document the details of your contact information in Japan such as name, address, phone number and email address should be indicated.
Once you decide to use our services for customs clearance and delivery after the shipment’s arrival in Japan, it would be best to ask the international moving company who is handling your shipment at the origin to indicate our details as “notify party” on the shipping documents as it will be smooth this way. i.e. the carrier’s Japan agent will notify us of the arrival of the shipment and we will waste no time start making arrangements with them and pay them necessary charges on your behalf. In some cases, they keep us updated when there is delay of the arrival of the shipment.
Some people start looking for a company who can custom clear and arrange delivery after they move to Japan or some start looking for around the time of the shipment’s arrival. In such a case, there will be no problem even if our details are not indicated on the air waybill /bill of lading.
Also, it is important that you send us a copy of your bill of lading or air waybill so that we will know the shipment’s details.
Documents required:
If you are moving from overseas and shipping your personal items to Japan, the following documents will be required.
1) "Declaration form for unaccompanied and accompanied personal Effects". This form is available on the airplane. Flight attendants will supply them. Do not forget to get this form and fill out. You then need to get a stamp of confirmation on this form from a customs officer at the airport when you arrive. This is very important as this must be done when you go through the customs at the airport and there is no second chance.
*The goods may be subject to import tax/import duty if you fail to do this.
2) A copy of your passport - the page with your photo, passport number etc. and also the pages with the stamp with the entry date, which you get when you go through the immigrations.
3) Inventory of the packages (It is called packing list) Make a detailed list for each packages prior to shipping. Without a detailed packing list, your shipment is more likely to be inspected by the customs office.
* Freight shipping companies / international moving companies normally do not ship personal effects by ocean unless all packages are palletized or packed further in crates.
Shipping to Japan/Commercial cargo:
1) Commercial Invoice and packing list
2) Catalogues or the alike may be required depending on the commodity to explain to the customs office what the commodities are.
Normally customs clearance at airports in Japan is very quick compared with customs clearance for sea shipments. Since the destination charges for sea shipments to Japan especially for personal effects are expensive compared with air shipment, you may would like to consider service by air an option when moving to Japan.
We wish you a pleasant stay in Japan.
Outbound shipments (Moving from Japan)
If you are going to move from Japan to the USA, UK or anywhere in the
world, our professional team specialized in international transportation will be glad to help you. As a leading
and most innovative international movers and freight forwarding company in Japan specialized in shipping
personal effects, we are confident that we can offer you the best shipping service available tailored to your
needs.
