Moving to Japan 🇯🇵

Introduction

You can’t avoid customs when you enter a country. SIAM Relocation can help you prepare this step of your relocation.

1.1 Customs process

First, you will have to write a declaration about the belongings you bring to Japan. You can obtain them in the plane, the ship, or at customs.

Consumption tax is imposed on all goods imported in Japan, it is of 8% of the value of the goods in general and may vary according to the size of your shipment and the customs duties you will also pay.

According to what you import in Japan, the duties to pay will be low or high. Japan has a very complete detailed tariff schedule based on HS codes. One example: Silk-worm cocoons suitable for reeling (HS Code 5001.00) are submitted to a 2,968 yen/kg duty.

Here is a list of the documents required for your relocation as a foreign resident :

• Copy of picture and information page of shipper’s passport
• Copy of visa page of the shipper’s passport
• Copy of shipper’s most recent entry stamp into Japan (it should be within 6 months of the shipment’s arrival date)
• Copy of the visa of origin country of the shipper, if different than origin country of the shipment
• Original Unaccompanied Articles Customs Declaration Form C. No.5360.

1.3 Vehicle importation

It is possible to import your car in Japan. Nevertheless, we won’t advise you to do so because it will result in complicated and very expensive. Most of the time, expats choose to sell their car and buy a new one (or not) in Japan.

If you want to bring your car for no more than one year, you can use your Carnet de Passage en Douane (CDP) which identifies the owner of the vehicle. If you own such a document, you have to address the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) and they will give you an authentication in order to bring your car and not be too annoyed by customs.

Note: You also need to be working in Japan in order to bring your car.

This authentication is free and simple to apply for. All you have to do is transmit a copy of the front and inside page of the CDP and a list of persons who will be driving the vehicle in Japan to the JAF.

Here are the documents you will need for importing your vehicle:

• Original vehicle registration certificate at origin country that proves the usage of the vehicle by the shipper
• Bill of sale, receipt or invoice
• Original Unaccompanied Articles Customs declaration form C-5360 or C-5360-2
• Original passport and working VISA in Japan
• Alien registration card in Japan if you are a foreigner
• Engagement letter not to resale the vehicle within two years
• Declaration of customs duty exemption.

In your origin country, you will need to go and see your mechanic to do some modifications to your vehicle. Indeed, all vehicles entering Japan have to meet the emission and safety regulations imposed by the Ministry of the Environment.

1.4 What duties and taxes will I pay for my personal effects?

Sample of a declaration for personal effect importation (this one is for Singapore but could work for Japan as well)

Customs process

Drug Contreband

Explosives

Biohazard

Chemicals

Corrosive

Counterfeit

Ivory

Batteries

Flammable

Firearms

Drugs

Counterfeit notes

Poison

Pornography

Knife

Tobacco

Gambling

Hazardous

Sea freight rates

Sea freight rates are hard to apprehend as they are highly sensitive to many factors. The transported volume is the most important factor. According to what you ship, you won’t choose the same size of container and so the freight cost will vary.

Fortunately for you, we are here to guide you in your choice so that you don’t make mistakes that could lead to a waste of money. We usually advice FCL choice when shipping more than 15 cubic meters and else, a LCL.

*According to your needs, we can provide you with a packaging and/or loading service which also has consequences on the total price.

Why choose us?

SIAM Relocation provides dedicated services to best respond to your specific needs and has been doing so since many years. Our moving consultants are experts and want the best solution for you.

Why choose us?

SIAM Relocation has a long experience in air freight transportation and is used to working with the best agents for years. Please contact our moving consultants and they will work to find out the best solution to your needs.

Let’s see together how air freight are calculated. The most important aspect that you have to understand is the difference between actual weight and volumetric weight. Once you get it, you can understand your air freight quotations.

*If the volumetric weight is higher than the actual weight of your box, the carrier will quote based on this weight. You can use online chargeable weight calculators to make it easier, now that you understand how it works.

SIAM Relocation has been dealing with relocations for a long time and always with the same perspective: the client comes first. That is why, through years of operations and observations, we decided to create specific offers in order to better fit your needs.

3.1 Moving insurance

International freight is not an exact science. Although our job is to anticipate the freight processing and planning it as well as it can be planned, freight always has a slight part of risks and surprises.

That is why moving insurance exist. It aims to prevent basic risks like those caused by weather or bad storage for instance.  Most of the insurances cover those basic damages and other also choose to cover less common risks like piracy for instance.

Your choice should be done according to your specific shipment ( will it go through dangerous areas ?). Our consultants are here to help you make the good decision.

To subscribe to an insurance, you can choose to go through a standard insurance company, a specialist insurance broker, your bank or us, SIAM Relocation.

*Our consultants are here to make sure you choose the service you need. feel free to contact him!

3.2 Moving with your pet to Japan

*The first thing to know is that from Thailand, you will go through a lot of difficulties in bringing your pet to Japan. Just keep in mind that this is for the future safety of your pet in Japan.

All animals must be inspected by Thailand’s government vet before leaving the country. For this reason, exactly three days before your departure from Thailand, you must go to the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport Custom and Animal Quarantine Office. Your animal has to be up to date about its vaccinations (especially Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Para-influenza, and Bordetella bronchiseptica).

During this inspection, you will need several documents:

• A rabies certificate, with all the contact details in English of the vet who made it. The pet must also have undergone a blood serology test to check for rabies antibody levels at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination. The test result must be at least 0.5 IU/mL.
• A copy of your valid passport
• Your flight details
• Your pet’s microchip number.

Note: Then, once at the office, you will be asked to fill in an export request form.

After conducting the health check, the government vet will hand you the documents you require for your travel and charge you 50 Baht per animal. Do not forget to have your original pet health certificate, the airport vet certificate, and the export permit with you when you travel, three days later.

That was what you have to do to leave the country with your pet regarding Thailand.

Now, let’s see what Japan imposes regarding pet relocation:

First, any dog or cat entering Japan must be microchipped with an ISO compliant chip.

40 days before importing your animal, you will have to file an Advanced Notification Form with the Animal Quarantine Service. This form will permit you to know the availability of facilities in Japan. If it is positive, you will receive an Approval of Notification.

Your pet must be vaccinated against rabies twice with an inactivated or recombinant vaccine, both times during the 12 months period prior to entry. The first rabies vaccination can not take place if your pet is not at least 3 months old. And the second must be given more than 30 days after the first.

Still to prevent rabies, your pet must have a Blood Titer Test processed by an approved laboratory. The result of the test will determine the time your pet will spend in the quarantine area.

Except from rabies, here are the highly recommended vaccinations for your dog or cat:

• Canine Distemper, Parvovirus, Hepatitis and Leptospirosis for dogs.
• Feline Cat Flu-Feline Calicivirus, Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Chlamydia Psittaci and Cat Enteritis-Feline Panleukopaenia for cats.

3.3 Packing service

The standard packing equipment is of course packing boxes. They are made of cardboard and can be very resistant depending on the quality of the cardboard. They exist in many different sizes which makes them convenient for any packing operation.

Bubble wrap is useful to add cautiousness when transporting fragile items. For instance, you should use it for glasses and crockery in order to avoid all damages.

When a large packing size is required, we opt for wooden crates. They are bigger and more resistant than packing boxes and can resist more phenomena like humidity for example.

3.4 Warehousing service

When you have an emergency, a setback or whatever could disturb your relocation organization, a warehousing service can save your life. You may stock your goods in our warehouses before shipping them to Japan.

3.5 Office moves

Remember that we also have a department dedicated to office moves.

In order to adapt our offer to the customer, to his needs but also to his budget, we created three moving packages : from the simple package to the complete package.

5.1 Visa & Business

Visa

There are many visas available for entering and staying in Japan. But only few of them are suitable for long term staying and working.

The Long term stay with certificate of eligibility (COE) is made for people who will perform a paid work in the country. To obtain the COE, you have to apply to a Regional Immigration Bureau of the Ministry of Justice.

Then there are categories among the Employment Visas, made according to the type of job you will perform in Japan.

Business

*Japan is the 3^rd biggest GDP in the world.

The Japanese culture imposes a very particular work environment. Japanese are often stressed by their job and oppressed by their colleagues, in a way that the whole society understands. There are many interesting articles and books about it. It is quite hard for a foreigner to fit into this system.

Because it is an aging country, for the last years, the business has turned more and more towards the Silver Economy (services driving dedicated to the elderly).

5.2 Living in Japan

Overview

Japan is a very wealthy country with an amazing culture to which you need to adapt. Adapting to the society may be the most difficult you will have to do.

Cost of life

Being a region of the Triad, Japan is obviously a very expensive place to live in but also a land full of opportunities.

The basic consumption prices are 61% higher in Tokyo than in Bangkok but the purchasing power is 156% higher in Tokyo too!

Job

Japan offers all type of jobs. If you are graduated and well skilled, you can get high ranked positions in big societies as well as starting your own start-up, etc.

The most active sectors in Japan includes of course the services (more than 75% of the GDP) and also some industrial sectors like those of automotive, electronic equipment, machine tools, chemicals and nautical sector.

5.3 Local contacts