Overview
Import rules can affect the final cost and delivery of a shipment from Japan to the United States.
This page is a practical overview for personal proxy-shopping orders. It is not legal, customs-brokerage, or tax advice.
Do not use the old “under $800 is automatically duty-free” rule
As of 2026, duty-free de minimis treatment under 19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(C) remains suspended for covered shipments.
JPS should not tell U.S. customers that every shipment valued at $800 or less automatically enters duty-free.
Import treatment can depend on:
Customers should check current U.S. Customs and Border Protection guidance for live shipments.
- product classification
- declared value
- country of origin
- entry method
- applicable duties and fees
- current U.S. rules
Country of purchase is not country of origin
Buying an item in Japan does not automatically make Japan the country of origin.
For example, a Japanese retailer may sell products manufactured elsewhere.
Use the actual origin information available for the product.
Use accurate product descriptions
Avoid vague descriptions such as:
Use practical descriptions such as:
- merchandise
- goods
- gift
- used cotton sweatshirt
- plastic collectible figure
- used camera lens
- vinyl record
- trading cards
Declared value should match the transaction
Do not deliberately undervalue goods to reduce duties or taxes.
The declared value should follow the applicable customs rules and transaction evidence.
Regulated consumer products
Some imported consumer products are subject to U.S. safety certification requirements.
Beginning July 8, 2026, importers of many regulated consumer products subject to CPSC certification requirements must electronically file certificate data before entry into U.S. commerce.
This does not mean every personal JPS purchase is subject to identical certification requirements.
It means categories covered by U.S. consumer-product safety rules should be checked before shipment.
Children’s products deserve extra care
Children’s products can have separate:
Do not assume an item is exempt simply because it was purchased secondhand or in small quantity.
- testing requirements
- certification requirements
- labeling requirements
Batteries and carrier restrictions
Customs acceptance and carrier acceptance are separate issues.
Products containing lithium batteries may be subject to carrier rules based on:
Damaged or swollen batteries may be non-shippable.
- battery type
- installed vs. spare battery
- battery condition
- watt-hour rating
- destination
Other regulated categories
Check before purchase when buying:
A normal proxy-shopping workflow does not override destination-country regulation.
- food
- cosmetics
- medical products
- supplements
- plant or animal products
- certain chemicals
Duties and carrier collection
Depending on the shipment, duties, taxes, brokerage, or other import charges may be collected by the carrier, postal operator, customs authority, or another authorized party.
These destination-country charges are separate from JPS fees.
JPS shipping charges
JPS charges:
Import duties or U.S. fees are not included in that carrier-rate statement unless the specific service explicitly says otherwise.
- packing from ¥500
- actual carrier international shipping rate
- no JPS shipping markup
U.S. buyer checklist
Before purchase:
Before shipment:
- Is the product legal to import?
- Does it have batteries?
- Is it a regulated consumer product?
- Is the country of origin known?
- Is the likely duty exposure acceptable?
- Is the product description accurate?
- Is the declared value supported?
- Does the selected carrier accept the contents?
- Are any certifications or special filings required?
Important
Customs rules change.
For live shipments, use current CBP and relevant U.S. agency guidance rather than old forum posts or pre-2026 assumptions.