Destination file · japan
Buy from Switzerland,
delivered to Japan.
Most Swiss goods enter Japan at 0% duty under the Switzerland–Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, provided the origin is properly certified. Consumption tax at 10% still applies. The paperwork is the whole game here, and it is the part we do.
What duty actually costs
Unchanged since 2009.
The Switzerland–Japan EPA has been in force since September 2009 and has removed duty on the overwhelming majority of Swiss industrial and consumer goods. The rate has not moved in seventeen years. What does move is whether your shipment can prove it qualifies.
- Sep 2009CH–JP EPA enters forceDuty removed on the large majority of Swiss originating goods. Still the operative agreement today.0%
- OngoingOrigin must be provenPreferential treatment is not automatic. Without a valid origin declaration, Japan Customs applies the full MFN rate instead.0% or MFN
- OngoingConsumption tax always applies10% on the landed value regardless of the duty outcome. 8% for most foodstuffs.10%
- ¥10,000De-minimis thresholdCustoms value below ¥10,000 is generally released free of duty and tax. Useful for small gifts, useless for a coffee machine.—
- Zero duty is conditional, not automatic. Japan Customs applies the full MFN rate unless the consignment carries a valid origin declaration proving the goods are Swiss originating. A Swiss-bought Japanese camera is not Swiss originating and gets no benefit. We assess originating status per line before quoting, and issue the declaration with the export file.
Sources: Switzerland–Japan Free Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (in force 1 September 2009); Japan Customs tariff schedule; National Tax Agency consumption tax guidance. Verified 11 August 2026.
Landed cost
What it actually costs to land in Japan.
Every figure updates live. The duty basis, tax base and de-minimis rule change with the destination — that is the whole reason this page exists.
Nothing owed on arrivalCHF 2'017.34≈ 359,086 JPY
Most requested
What Japan buys from Switzerland.
Japan is our most document-sensitive market and our most repeat-heavy one. Buyers here order again within ninety days more often than anywhere else.
- ✓Mechanical watchesBought at Swiss retail with the international warranty in your name. Typically well below Japanese authorised-dealer pricing once the VAT refund is applied.
- ✓Läderach and SprüngliTemperature-controlled packing from May to September. Fresh cream fillings will not survive; we substitute or decline rather than ship something that arrives ruined.
- ✓Jura and Swiss appliancesSwitzerland is 230 V / 50 Hz, Japan is 100 V / 50–60 Hz. This is the most common expensive mistake in this corridor. We quote a rated step-up transformer or source the Japan-voltage variant, and we say so before you pay.
- ✓La Prairie and Swiss skincarePersonal-use cosmetic imports are capped at 24 items per product type. Beyond that you need a Japanese importer licence.
- ✓Freitag and Swiss designEach piece unique. We photograph the exact unit against the configurator before purchase.
- ✓VictorinoxSingle-edged folding knives are fine to import. Double-edged blades over 5.5 cm are prohibited outright, and we swap the model rather than risk the consignment.
Restricted or refused
What we will not ship there.
We screen every request against this list before quoting. A refusal costs you nothing; a seizure costs you the goods.
- ✕Meat and meat productsJapan applies some of the strictest animal-health controls in the world. Dried, cured and vacuum-packed are all included. No exceptions.
- ✕Most dairy beyond small quantitiesHard cheese in personal quantities is usually accepted; commercial volumes need an import notification we cannot file for you.
- ✕Plants, seeds, soil and untreated woodPhytosanitary certificate required, and often refused outright. Souvenir items containing seeds are a frequent seizure.
- ✕Medicines beyond a two-month supplyPersonal import limits apply and a Yakkan Shoumei may be required. We do not ship prescription medicines.
- ✕Cosmetics above 24 items per typeA personal-use ceiling, not a guideline. Larger orders need a licensed importer.
- ✕Double-edged blades over 5.5 cmProhibited under the Firearms and Swords Control Law. We substitute a compliant Victorinox model.
Transit
Geneva to Tokyo in three days.
Japanese customs release is fast when the paperwork is right and slow when it is not. Every consignment leaves us with the origin declaration, commercial invoice and packing list already filed.
Questions
Shipping to Japan, answered.
Will my Swiss appliance work in Japan?
Not directly. Switzerland runs 230 V and Japan runs 100 V, so a Swiss coffee machine, kettle or hairdryer needs a rated step-up transformer — not a plug adapter, which changes the pin shape and nothing else. We quote the correct transformer as a line item, or source the Japan-voltage variant where the manufacturer makes one. This is the single most common reason people regret buying an appliance abroad.
How do I actually get the 0% duty rate?
By having the consignment properly certified as Swiss originating under the EPA. It is not applied automatically and Japan Customs will charge the full MFN rate without it. We assess originating status per line and issue the declaration as part of the export file at no extra charge.
Is a watch really cheaper this way than buying in Japan?
Usually, and the gap is widest on models Japanese authorised dealers price above Swiss retail. The 8.1% Swiss VAT refund alone often covers most of our fee. We show you both figures in the quote so you can decide rather than take our word for it.
Can you send chocolate in summer?
Yes, with insulated packing and a cold pack, and we will say plainly when a product simply will not travel. Fresh cream fillings such as Luxemburgerli do not survive the transit at any time of year. Solid pralines and bars are reliable year round.
What does the ¥10,000 threshold actually cover?
Consignments with a customs value below ¥10,000 are generally released without duty or consumption tax. It is genuinely useful for small gifts and stationery. It does nothing for a watch or an appliance, and splitting one order into several parcels to stay underneath it is treated as evasion — we will not do it.
Get a Japan landed cost in under a minute.
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