Shipping from Germany to Japan: auction purchases, art and spare parts, door to door.

Art, antiques and collectors' items

Japan's tariff lists chapter 97 as free under the general, WTO and EU-EPA rates: paintings and drawings, sculptures, prints, collectors' items and antiques over 100 years pay no customs duty. The only charge is the 10 % consumption tax on the customs value, which the carrier advances and bills you before delivery. Coins and gold are duty-free as well, but taxed.

The JPY 10,000 rule

Duty and consumption tax are waived when the customs value per shipment is JPY 10,000 or less. For personal imports Japan currently values goods at 60 % of the purchase price, so the threshold corresponds to a price of about JPY 16,600. Shipments from the same sender to the same recipient are aggregated. The 2026 tax reform abolishes the 60 % rule from 1 April 2028. Auction purchases are nearly always above the threshold.

Spare parts and industrial goods under the EU-Japan EPA

Industrial tariffs between the EU and Japan are fully eliminated, and many machinery lines are free in any case. Where the EPA rate matters, the invoice must carry the exporter's statement on origin, with a REX number above EUR 6,000; we prepare it with your supplier. Companies import under their 13-digit corporate number; the carrier files the declaration. Shipments up to JPY 200,000 can use the simplified tariff.

German VAT refund

Our export declaration with the EU exit confirmation lets the German auction house or supplier refund the German VAT to you.

Restricted items

Items with ivory, tortoiseshell or other CITES materials need the German CITES export permit and an import approval from METI; without papers Japan Customs only allows return or abandonment, so ask before you bid. Swords and antique firearms need a registration certificate from the prefectural Board of Education and METI import approval; we do not ship weapons or militaria.