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Country Conditions for Mailing - Japan

Prohibitions (130)

No list furnished.

Restrictions

Banknotes; securities payable to bearer; coins, gold bullion; bills of exchange; letters of credit; and other payment orders are subject to the conditions laid down in the law concerning foreign exchange and trade control.

Coins; banknotes; currency notes (paper money); securities payable to bearer; traveler's checks; platinum, gold or silver, manufactured or not; precious stones; jewelry; and other valuable articles may only be sent in registered letter-post shipments or insured parcel post.

Firearms, including handguns, pistols, machine guns, and rifles; other types of weapons, including daggers, swords, spears, and switch blade knives; and the components of firearms and weapons may not be imported into Japan unless the intended recipient has received prior permission from the competent authority (i.e., the Public Safety Commission) in the prefecture in which that person resides.

Meat products are prohibited unless accompanied by an inspection certificate issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Observations

1. Human ashes may be accepted if presented for mailing by a licensed crematory or licensed mortuary. The ashes must be packed in a sealed metal container enclosed in a substantial outer container. There must be enclosed within the outer container, but outside the metal container, a certified copy of the death certificate and a statement or certificate executed by the crematory or mortuary to the effect that the ashes are those of the person named in the death certificate.

2. Many articles are subject to an import license. Senders should ascertain from the addressee before mailing whether the necessary documents are held. Import permits are not required for articles intended for personal use and in quantities such that they could not be used for commercial purposes; articles for the relief of disaster victims; ashes of the dead; and publications sent to libraries as part of an exchange between countries.

Customs Forms Required (123)
Letter-post: PS Form 2976 or 2976-A (see 123.61)
Parcel Post: PS Form 2976-A inside 2976-E (envelope)

Size Limits
Letter-post: See 243.2
Parcel Post: Maximum length: 60 inches
Maximum length and girth combined: 108 inches

Postcards and Postal Cards (250) $0.75

Aerogrammes (250) $0.75 Enclosures NOT permitted

Airmail
Letter-post Rates

Weight not over (ozs.)	Letter- post Rate	Weight not over (ozs.)	Letter- post Rate	Weight not over (ozs.)	Letter- post Rate
1	$0.84	12	$8.85	44	$19.95
2	1.80	16	10.20	48	21.40
3	2.75	20	11.60	52	22.85
4	3.70	24	12.95	56	24.35
5	4.65	28	14.35	60	25.80
6	5.60	32	15.70	64	27.30
7	6.55	36	17.15	blank	blank
8	7.50	40	18.55	blank	blank
Weight Limit: 64 ounces (4 lbs.)

Airmail
Parcel Post Rates

Weight not over (lbs.)	Parcel Post Rate	Weight not over (lbs.)	Parcel Post Rate	Weight not over (lbs.)	Parcel Post Rate
1	$17.25	25	$104.85	49	$188.35
2	21.60	26	108.35	50	191.85
3	25.80	27	111.85	51	195.30
4	30.55	28	115.30	52	198.80
5	35.30	29	118.80	53	202.25
6	38.80	30	122.25	54	205.75
7	42.25	31	125.75	55	209.20
8	45.75	32	129.20	56	212.70
9	49.20	33	132.70	57	216.20
10	52.70	34	136.20	58	219.65
11	56.20	35	139.65	59	223.15
12	59.65	36	143.15	60	226.60
13	63.15	37	146.60	61	230.10
14	66.60	38	150.10	62	233.55
15	70.10	39	153.55	63	237.05
16	73.55	40	157.05	64	240.50
17	77.05	41	160.50	65	244.00
18	80.55	42	164.00	66	247.50
19	84.00	43	167.50	blank	blank
20	87.50	44	170.95	blank	blank
21	90.95	45	174.45	blank	blank
22	94.45	46	177.90	blank	blank
23	97.90	47	181.40	blank	blank
24	101.40	48	184.85	blank	blank
Weight Limit: 66 lbs.

Note: Ordinary air parcel post includes indemnity at no cost based on weight. For an item not over 1 pound, the indemnity is $62.84, and the indemnity increases $3.03 per pound or fraction up to a maximum of 70 pounds, which has an indemnity of $271.91. (See 280.)

Airmail
Direct Sack to One Addressee - M-Bags (260)

Weight Not Over 11 lbs. $40.70
Each additional pound or fraction of a pound $3.70

Weight Limit: 66 pounds

Global Priority Mail (GPM) (230)

Flat-Rate Envelope

Small $5.25
Large $9.50

Weight Limit: 4 pounds

Variable Weight Option

Weight Levels and Prices

0.5 lb. $9.50
1.0 lb. 11.50
1.5 lbs. 13.75
2.0 lbs. 16.75
2.5 lbs. $20.00
3.0 lbs. 23.25
3.5 lbs. 25.25
4.0 lbs. 28.50

GPM Weight Limit: 4 pounds

Economy Mail
Letter-post Rates

Weight not over (ozs.)	Letter- post Rate	Weight not over (ozs.)	Letter- post Rate	Weight not over (ozs.)	Letter- post Rate
16	$4.25	36	$7.65	56	$10.80
20	4.95	40	8.25	60	11.45
24	5.65	44	8.90	64	12.05
28	6.30	48	9.55	blank	blank
32	7.00	52	10.15	blank	blank
Weight Limit: 64 ounces (4 lbs.)

Economy Mail
Parcel Post Rates

Weight not over (lbs.)	Parcel Post Rate	Weight not over (lbs.)	Parcel Post Rate	Weight not over (lbs.)	Parcel Post Rate
5	$24.50	27	$49.95	49	$71.00
6	26.35	28	50.95	50	71.95
7	27.65	29	51.95	51	72.90
8	29.25	30	52.95	52	73.85
9	30.55	31	53.90	53	74.80
10	31.90	32	54.85	54	75.75
11	33.00	33	55.80	55	76.70
12	34.10	34	56.75	56	77.65
13	35.20	35	57.70	57	78.60
14	36.30	36	58.65	58	79.50
15	37.40	37	59.60	59	80.45
16	38.50	38	60.55	60	81.40
17	39.65	39	61.50	61	82.35
18	40.75	40	62.45	62	83.30
19	41.85	41	63.40	63	84.25
20	42.95	42	64.35	64	85.20
21	43.95	43	65.30	65	86.15
22	44.95	44	66.25	66	87.10
23	45.95	45	67.20	blank	blank
24	46.95	46	68.15	blank	blank
25	47.95	47	69.10	blank	blank
26	48.95	48	70.05	blank	blank
Weight Limit: 66 lbs.

Note: Ordinary economy parcel post includes indemnity at no cost based on weight. For an item not over 1 pound, the indemnity is $62.84, and the indemnity increases $3.03 per pound or fraction up to a maximum of 70 pounds, which has an indemnity of $271.91. (See 280.)

Economy Mail
Direct Sack to One Addressee - M-Bags (260)

Regular
Weight Not Over 11 lbs. $17.60
Each additional pound or fraction of a pound $1.60

Books & Sheet Music, Publisher's Periodicals
Weight Not Over 11 lbs. $11.55
Each additional pound or fraction of a pound $1.05

Weight Limit: 66 pounds

Economy Mail
Books and Sheet Music Rates (295)

Weight not over (ozs.)	Rate	Weight not over (ozs.)	Rate	Weight not over (ozs.)	Rate
16	$2.75	36	$5.25	56	$7.25
20	3.25	40	5.65	60	7.75
24	3.80	44	6.05	64	8.15
28	4.30	48	6.45	blank	blank
32	4.85	52	6.85	blank	blank
Note: This is a bulk mail service that is subject to a minimum entry requirement of 200 pieces or 50 pounds of qualifying contents. See Part 295.
Weight Limit: 64 ounces (4 lbs.)

Matter for the Blind (270)
Free when sent as economy mail. Weight limit: 15 lbs.

Economy Mail
Publishers' Periodicals Rates (294)

Weight not over (ozs.)	Rate	Weight not over (ozs.)	Rate	Weight not over (ozs.)	Rate
1	$0.68	12	$2.06	44	$6.08
2	0.81	16	2.57	48	6.58
3	0.93	20	3.07	52	7.08
4	1.06	24	3.57	56	7.58
5	1.19	28	4.07	60	8.08
6	1.31	32	4.57	64	8.58
7	1.44	36	5.07	blank	blank
8	1.56	40	5.57	blank	blank
$0.25 per pound discount for drop shipments tendered at the New Jersey International and Bulk Mail Center.
Weight Limit: 64 ounces (4 lbs.)

Special Services

Certificate of Mailing See 313 for fees

COD and Certified NOT for International Mail

Insurance (320)
Available for parcel post only (see 324.2 for required markings)

International Business Reply Service (373)
Fee: Envelopes up to 2 ounces $1.25; Cards $0.85

International Money Order (371)
Use MO Form MP1
Maximum Amount Available: $700 Fee: $3.45

International Reply Coupons (372) Fee: $1.85

Recorded Delivery (360) NOT Available

Registered Mail (330) Fee: $7.90
Maximum Indemnity: $44.86
Available for letter-post mail, including postcards
and postal cards, aerogrammes, and matter for
the blind. Not applicable to M-bags.

Restricted Delivery (350) NOT Available

Return Receipt (340) Fee: $1.85
Available for registered mail and insured parcels.

Global Express Guaranteed (210)

Weight not over (lbs.)	Document Service	Non- Document Service	Weight not over (lbs.)	Document Service	Non- Document Service
0.5	$33.75	blank	36	$188.75	$199.25
1	41.00	$46.50	37	191.75	202.25
2	48.50	53.75	38	196.00	206.50
3	55.75	61.25	39	199.25	209.75
4	63.25	68.50	40	202.25	213.00
5	70.50	76.00	41	206.50	217.00
6	76.00	81.25	42	209.75	220.25
7	80.00	85.25	43	214.00	224.50
8	84.25	90.75	44	217.00	227.75
9	89.50	96.00	45	221.25	232.00
10	93.75	100.25	46	224.50	235.00
11	97.00	105.50	47	227.75	238.25
12	101.25	109.50	48	232.00	242.50
13	104.25	112.75	49	235.00	245.50
14	108.50	117.00	50	241.25	252.00
15	111.75	120.25	51	244.50	255.00
16	115.00	123.25	52	248.75	259.25
17	119.00	127.50	53	252.00	262.50
18	122.25	130.75	54	256.00	266.75
19	126.50	135.00	55	259.25	269.75
20	129.75	138.00	56	263.50	274.00
21	132.75	141.25	57	266.75	277.25
22	137.00	145.50	58	269.75	280.25
23	140.25	148.50	59	274.00	284.50
24	144.50	152.75	60	277.25	287.75
25	147.50	156.00	61	281.50	292.00
26	150.75	161.25	62	284.50	295.00
27	155.00	165.50	63	288.75	299.25
28	158.00	168.75	64	292.00	302.50
29	161.25	171.75	65	296.25	306.75
30	166.50	177.00	66	299.25	310.00
31	170.75	181.25	67	302.50	313.00
32	174.00	184.50	68	306.75	317.25
33	178.25	188.75	69	310.00	320.50
34	181.25	191.75	70	314.00	324.75
35	184.50	195.00	blank	blank	blank
Weight Limit: 70 lbs.

Insurance (215.5)

Insured Amount not over	Fee	Insured Amount not over	Fee
$100	No Fee	For document reconstruction insurance or non-document insurance coverage above $800, add $0.75 per $100 or fraction thereof, up to a maximum of $2,499 per shipment.
200	$0.75
300	1.50
400	2.25
500	3.00
600	3.75
700	4.50	blank	blank
800	5.25	$2,499 max.	$18.00

Size Limits (217.4)
An item must be large enough to hold on its face the postage
and the plastic pouch that carries the Global Express
Guaranteed Air Waybill/Shipping Invoice (shipping label).
The shipping label is approximately 5.5 inches high and
9.5 inches long, and the plastic pouch that carries it is
approximately 7 inches high and 12 inches long.
Maximum length: 46 inches
Maximum width: 35 inches
Maximum height: 46 inches
Maximum length and girth combined: 108 inches

General Conditions for Mailing

See Publication 141, Global Express Guaranteed Service Guide, for information about areas served in the destination country, allowable contents, packaging and labeling requirements, tracking and tracing, service standards, and other conditions for mailing.

Global Express Mail (EMS) (220)

Weight not over (lbs.)	Rate	Weight not over (lbs.)	Rate	Weight not over (lbs.)	Rate
0.5	$18.25	24	$106.80	48	$191.85
1	22.55	25	110.35	49	195.40
2	26.85	26	113.90	50	198.95
3	31.15	27	117.45	51	202.50
4	35.45	28	121.00	52	206.05
5	39.45	29	124.55	53	209.60
6	43.00	30	128.05	54	213.15
7	46.55	31	131.60	55	216.70
8	50.10	32	135.15	56	220.20
9	53.65	33	138.70	57	223.75
10	57.20	34	142.25	58	227.30
11	60.75	35	145.80	59	230.85
12	64.30	36	149.35	60	234.40
13	67.80	37	152.90	61	237.95
14	71.35	38	156.45	62	241.50
15	74.90	39	159.95	63	245.05
16	78.45	40	163.50	64	248.60
17	82.00	41	167.05	65	252.10
18	85.55	42	170.60	66	255.65
19	89.10	43	174.15	blank	blank
20	92.65	44	177.70	blank	blank
21	96.20	45	181.25	blank	blank
22	99.70	46	184.80	blank	blank
23	103.25	47	188.35	blank	blank
Weight Limit: 66 lbs.

Insurance (221.3)
Available for EMS merchandise shipments only

Insured Amount not over	Fee	Insured Amount not over	Fee
$100	No Fee	For insurance coverage above $600, add $1.05 for each $100 or fraction thereof, up to a maximum of $5000 per shipment.
200	$1.05
300	2.10
400	3.15
500	4.20
600	5.25	$5000 max.	$51.45

Articles Admitted	Required Customs Form/Endorsement
Correspondence, business papers, computer cards, punched paper tapes, shipping documents, and check clearances between financial institutions.	No form required. Endorse item clearly next to mailing label as BUSINESS PAPERS.
Merchandise samples not exceeding 100,000 yen in value, magnetic tapes and disks, and microfilm.	PS Form 2976, Customs - CN 22 (Old C 1) and Sender's Declaration (green label).
Merchandise or any articles subject to customs duty.	PS Form 2976-A, Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note CP 72, inside a PS Form 2976-E, Customs Declaration Envelope CP 91.

Size Limits (223.2)
Maximum length: 60 inches
Maximum length and girth combined: 108 inches

Return Receipt Service (221.4): NOT Available

Notes:

1. Commercial shipments must be accompanied by two (2) copies of the invoice.

2. Coins; banknotes; currency notes, including paper money; securities of any kind payable to bearer; traveler's checks; platinum, gold, and silver; precious stones; jewelry; watches; and other valuable articles are prohibited in EMS shipments to Japan.

3. Global Express Mail with Guarantee service - which offers a date-certain, money-back guarantee - is available to Japan.

Reciprocal Service Name: Business Mail

Country Code: JP

Areas Served: All, including Okinawa.