Japan import compliance checklist.

Product category checklist

• Confirm the exact product category and subcategory Japan will evaluate.
• Create a product dossier with ingredients, materials, specifications, manufacturer details, product photos, packaging, claims, and SKU list.
• Identify whether the product is food, cosmetic, supplement, pet, child-focused, electronics, medical-adjacent, or regulated in another way.
• Review whether the existing US product claims can be used in Japan.
• Check whether trademark strategy should be reviewed before marketplace or brand registry work.

Importer and customs checklist

• Decide who will be importer or responsible local party for the shipment.
• Prepare commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or air waybill, and origin documents when needed.
• Map customs declaration, examination, duties, consumption tax, and import permission steps.
• Confirm who will respond to document requests or inspection questions.
• Connect freight, warehouse intake, inventory controls, and sales-channel timing.

Source: Japan Customs import procedures.

Regulated product checklist

Some categories need deeper review before shipment. Food, food additives, utensils, containers, and packaging can involve imported-food notification. Other categories may have separate paths, so do not use one generic import checklist for every product.

• Identify product-specific notifications, permits, approvals, tests, or partner requirements.
• Confirm whether ingredients, materials, additives, electrical components, or claims trigger extra review.
• Review whether Japanese packaging or warnings must change before inventory is sold.
• Decide which local specialists own regulated steps that require a license or formal submission.

Source: MHLW imported foods guidance.

Labeling and claims checklist

• Translate and rewrite product labels for the Japanese market instead of stopping at literal meaning.
• Review required Japanese label fields for the product category.
• Check nutrition, ingredient, use, safety, origin, warning, and storage presentation where relevant.
• Confirm that ad claims, product-page claims, packaging claims, and landing-page claims say the same thing.
• Keep a documented approval path for any claim that affects compliance or customer trust.

Source: Consumer Affairs Agency food labeling policy.

Sales-channel readiness checklist

• Choose the first channel: Amazon Japan, owned ecommerce, distributor, retail partner, or hybrid route.
• Prepare Japanese titles, descriptions, bullets, images, FAQ, and customer support paths.
• Map pricing, margin, duties, marketplace fees, shipping, returns, and promotion budget.
• Confirm warehouse, delivery promise, customer support, and returns before launch traffic.
• Set reporting so paid media, product pages, marketplace performance, and inventory can be reviewed together.

Growth readiness checklist

• Connect paid media to a page or listing that is ready for Japanese buyers.
• Build creative around local objections, proof, use cases, and trust signals.
• Set launch reporting for spend, conversion rate, CPA, ROAS, stock, refunds, and customer questions.
• Plan for CRO, review generation, retention, and remarketing after the first traffic test.
• Do not scale until import, fulfillment, and customer support are stable.