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 First-Class Mail International shipments or insured Priority Mail International parcels.

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.
3. A sales invoice is required for all articles valued at more than U.S. $1,600.00. The invoice must be affixed to the outside of the parcel or may be enclosed with the customs declaration in the plastic envelope of PS Form 2976-E. The sales invoice must not obscure the customs declaration, which must show through the plastic envelope.

 

Customs Forms Required (123)

First-Class Mail International items and Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes and Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes:
PS Form 2976 (see 123.61)

Priority Mail International parcels:
PS Form 2976-A inside 2976-E (envelope)

 

 

Global Express Guaranteed (210) Price Group 3

 

Weight not over (lbs.)	Price	Weight not over (lbs.)	Price	Weight not over (lbs.)	Price
0.5	$44.75	24	$227.85	48	$358.65
1	66.50	25	233.30	49	364.10
2	75.95	26	238.75	50	369.55
3	85.40	27	244.20	51	375.00
4	94.85	28	249.65	52	380.45
5	104.30	29	255.10	53	385.90
6	113.75	30	260.55	54	391.35
7	123.20	31	266.00	55	396.80
8	132.65	32	271.45	56	402.25
9	142.10	33	276.90	57	407.70
10	151.55	34	282.35	58	413.15
11	157.00	35	287.80	59	418.60
12	162.45	36	293.25	60	424.05
13	167.90	37	298.70	61	429.50
14	173.35	38	304.15	62	434.95
15	178.80	39	309.60	63	440.40
16	184.25	40	315.05	64	445.85
17	189.70	41	320.50	65	451.30
18	195.15	42	325.95	66	456.75
19	200.60	43	331.40	67	462.20
20	206.05	44	336.85	68	467.65
21	211.50	45	342.30	69	473.10
22	216.95	46	347.75	70	478.55
23	222.40	47	353.20
Weight Limit: 70 lbs.

 

Insurance (212.5)

 

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 $1.00 per $100 or fraction thereof, up to a maximum of $2,499 per shipment.
200	$1.00
300	2.00
400	3.00
500	4.00
600	5.00
700	6.00
800	7.00	$2,499 max.	$24.00

 

Value Limit (212.1)

The maximum value of a GXG shipment to this country is $2,499 or a lesser amount if limited by content or value.

 

Size Limits (211.22)

The surface area of the address side of the item to be mailed
must be large enough to completely contain the Global
Express Guaranteed Air Waybill/Shipping Invoice (shipping
label), postage, endorsement, and any applicable markings.
The shipping label is approximately 5.5 inches high and
9.5 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.

 

 

Express Mail International (220) Price Group 12

 

Weight not over (lbs.)	Price	Weight not over (lbs.)	Price	Weight not over (lbs.)	Price
0.5	$29.95	24	$155.15	48	$290.75
1	34.50	25	160.80	49	296.40
2	39.45	26	166.45	50	302.05
3	44.40	27	172.10	51	307.70
4	49.35	28	177.75	52	313.35
5	54.30	29	183.40	53	319.00
6	59.25	30	189.05	54	324.65
7	64.20	31	194.70	55	330.30
8	69.15	32	200.35	56	335.95
9	74.10	33	206.00	57	341.60
10	79.05	34	211.65	58	347.25
11	84.10	35	217.30	59	352.90
12	89.15	36	222.95	60	358.55
13	94.20	37	228.60	61	364.20
14	99.25	38	234.25	62	369.85
15	104.30	39	239.90	63	375.50
16	109.95	40	245.55	64	381.15
17	115.60	41	251.20	65	386.80
18	121.25	42	256.85	66	392.45
19	126.90	43	262.50
20	132.55	44	268.15
21	138.20	45	273.80
22	143.85	46	279.45
23	149.50	47	285.10
Weight Limit: 66 lbs.

 

Express Mail International — Flat Rate

Flat Rate Envelopes:

$29.95

 

Insurance (222.7)

Available for Express Mail International merchandise shipments only

 

Insured Amount not over	Fee	Insured Amount not over	Fee
$100	No Fee	For insurance coverage above $2,000, add $1.45 for each $500 or fraction thereof, up to a maximum of $5,000 per shipment.
200	$0.80
500	2.25
1,000	3.70
1,500	5.15
2,000	6.60	$5,000 max.	$15.30

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 10,000 yen in value, magnetic tapes and disks, and microfilm.	PS Form 2976, Customs — CN 22 and Sender’s Declaration.
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 (221.42)

Maximum length: 60 inches

Maximum length and girth combined: 108 inches

 

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 Express Mail International shipments to Japan.
3. Express Mail International With Guarantee service — which offers a date-certain, postage-refund guarantee — is available to Japan.

Reciprocal Service Name: Business Mail

Country Code: JP

Areas Served: All, including Okinawa.

 

 

 

Priority Mail International (230) Price Group 12

 

Weight not over (lbs.)	Price	Weight not over (lbs.)	Price	Weight not over (lbs.)	Price
1	$27.75	23	$111.85	45	$194.35
2	31.90	24	115.60	46	198.10
3	36.05	25	119.35	47	201.85
4	40.20	26	123.10	48	205.60
5	44.35	27	126.85	49	209.35
6	48.10	28	130.60	50	213.10
7	51.85	29	134.35	51	216.85
8	55.60	30	138.10	52	220.60
9	59.35	31	141.85	53	224.35
10	63.10	32	145.60	54	228.10
11	66.85	33	149.35	55	231.85
12	70.60	34	153.10	56	235.60
13	74.35	35	156.85	57	239.35
14	78.10	36	160.60	58	243.10
15	81.85	37	164.35	59	246.85
16	85.60	38	168.10	60	250.60
17	89.35	39	171.85	61	254.35
18	93.10	40	175.60	62	258.10
19	96.85	41	179.35	63	261.85
20	100.60	42	183.10	64	265.60
21	104.35	43	186.85	65	269.35
22	108.10	44	190.60	66	273.10
Weight Limit: 66 lbs.

 

Note: Ordinary Priority Mail International includes indemnity at no cost based on weight. (See 230.)

 

Priority Mail International — Flat Rate

Flat Rate Envelopes or Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes: $13.95

 

May contain items that may be sent as First-Class Mail International. The maximum weight is 4 lbs.

Flat Rate Boxes: Medium – $45.50; Large – $58.50

The maximum weight is 20 lbs. or the limit set by the individual country, whichever is less.

 

Insurance (232.82)

Available for Priority Mail International merchandise parcels only (see 323.72 for markings)

 

Insured Amount not over	Fee	Insured Amount not over	Fee
$50	$2.30
100	3.40	Add $1.10 for each additional $100 or fraction of insurance coverage.
200	4.50
300	5.60
400	6.70
500	7.80	$5,000 max.	$57.30

 

 

Size Limits (231.22)

Maximum length: 60 inches

Maximum length and girth combined: 108 inches

 

 

First-Class Mail International (240) Price Group 3

Letters

 

Weight not over (ozs.)	Price
1	$0.98	Note: A letter meeting one or more of the nonmachinable characteristics in 241.217 is charged a nonmachinable surcharge of $0.20.
2	1.82
3	2.66
3.5	3.50

Large Envelopes (Flats)

 

Weight not over (ozs.)	Price	Weight not over (ozs.)	Price	Weight not over (ozs.)	Price
1	$1.30	12	$9.18	44	$23.50
2	2.17	16	10.97	48	25.29
3	3.04	20	12.76	52	27.08
4	3.91	24	14.55	56	28.87
5	4.78	28	16.34	60	30.66
6	5.65	32	18.13	64	32.45
7	6.52	36	19.92
8	7.39	40	21.71

Packages (Small Packets)

 

Weight not over (ozs.)	Price	Weight not over (ozs.)	Price	Weight not over (ozs.)	Price
1	$1.72	12	$9.60	44	$23.92
2	2.59	16	11.39	48	25.71
3	3.46	20	13.18	52	27.50
4	4.33	24	14.97	56	29.29
5	5.20	28	16.76	60	31.08
6	6.07	32	18.55	64	32.87
7	6.94	36	20.34
8	7.81	40	22.13

 

 

Size Limits  

Letters: See 241.212

Postcards: See 241.221

Large Envelopes (Flats): See 241.232

Packages (Small Packets): See 241.242 and 241.243

 

Postcards (241.22)

$0.98

 

Airmail M-bags (260) —

Direct Sack to One Addressee Price Group 3

 

Weight not over 11 lbs. Each additional pound or fraction of a pound	$59.95 5.45
Weight Limit: 66 pounds

 

Matter for the Blind (270)

Free when sent as First-Class Mail International, including Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes and Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes. Weight limit: 4 pounds.

Free when sent as Priority Mail International. Weight limit: 15 pounds.

 

Extra Services  

 

Certificate of Mailing (313)

 

Individual Pieces	Fee
Individual article (PS Form 3817)	$1.15
Firm mailing books (PS Form 3877), per article listed (minimum 3)	0.42
Duplicate copy of PS Form 3817 or PS Form 3877 (per page)	1.15
Bulk Quantities	Fee
First 1,000 pieces (or fraction thereof)	$6.50
Each additional 1,000 pieces (or fraction thereof)	0.75
Duplicate copy of PS Form 3606	1.15

 

COD and Certified  

NOT for International Mail

 

International Business Reply Service (382)

Fee: Envelopes up to 2 ounces $1.45; Cards $0.95

 

International Postal Money Order (371)

Use MO Form MP1

Maximum Amount Available: $700 Fee: $4.25

Money Order Inquiry: Fee: $5.40

 

International Reply Coupons (381)

Fee: $2.10

 

Registered Mail (330)

Fee: $11.50

Maximum Indemnity: $46.04

Available for First-Class Mail International,
including postcards and Flat Rate Envelopes
and Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes, and matter
for the blind or other physically handicapped
persons. Not applicable to M-bags.

 

Restricted Delivery (350)

NOT Available

 

Return Receipt (340)

Fee: $2.30

Available for registered mail and insured
Priority Mail International parcels only.