1902 Procedures for the Authorized Importers’ Program and the Requirements for Approval (FAQ)

[ For printing (PDF format) ]

1.	Procedures

  The importer who wishes to use the Authorized Importers’ Program is required to receive an approval of any Director General.
  In order to receive the approval of Authorized Importers, an Application is required to be submitted to the department handling Authorized Importers’ Program at the Regional Customs having jurisdiction, in principle, over the importer’s principal place of international trade.
  If the importer submits these applications to one of the Regional Customs and receives approval, the importer may use the Authorized Importers’ Program at all Regional Customs nationwide.
  For the details about entries in this application or the documents to be attached, please contact the department handling the Authorized Importers’ Program at your nearby Regional Customs.

2.	Requirements for Approval

An importer who wishes to receive approval:

(i)	Shall not have been convicted of violating the provisions of the Customs Law or other national tax laws nor shall have received a notification disposition in accordance with the provisions of the Customs Law or the Act on General Rules for National Taxes within the past three years.
(ii)	Shall not have been sentenced to imprisonment without work or severer penalty for violating the provisions of the laws and regulations other than the Acts provided for in (i) within the past two years.
(iii)	Shall not have been punished for the violation of any provisions of the Act on Prevention of Unjust Acts by Organized Crime Group Members, or committed a crime under the provision of the Penal Code, or a crime under the Act on Punishment of Violent Act nor punished by a penalty of fine within the past two years.
(iv)	Shall not be a member of organized crime groups.
(v)	Shall not use those persons enumerated from (i) to (iv) as an agent, an employee and other worker.
(vi)	Shall not be governed by a member of organized crime group, etc.
(vii)	Shall not have been imposed on heavy additional duty or tax in respect of customs duty or consumption tax or local consumption tax related to imported goods within the past three years.
(vii)	Shall not have been sentenced to imprisonment without work or severer penalty for violating the provisions of the laws and regulations other than the Acts provided for in (i) within the past two years.
(viii)	Shall not have been delinquent in paying customs duties or the excise taxes related to imported goods within the past three years.
(ix)	Shall not have been revoked the approval under paragraph (1) of Article 7-2 of Customs Law within the past three years.
(x)	Be capable of filing authorized import declaration through the electronic data processing system, and is capable of conducting the related operations in an appropriate and reliable manner pertaining to import of goods subject to authorized import declaration.
(xi)	Shall establish a Compliance Program which includes matters specified in Ordinance of the Ministry of Finance as matters to be compliant with this Act or other laws and regulations.

(Articles 7-2, 7-5 of the Customs Act)

Inquiries (In charge of the Authorized Importers’ Program)

Hakodate Customs	Tel: 0138-40-4254
Tokyo Customs	Tel: 03-3599-6343
Yokohama Customs	Tel: 045-212-6125
Nagoya Customs	Tel: 052-654-4169
Osaka Customs	Tel: 06-6576-3391
Kobe Customs	Tel: 078-333-3071
Moji Customs	Tel: 050-3530-8312
Nagasaki Customs	Tel: 095-828-8801
Okinawa Regional Customs	Tel: 098-862-9291

For consultations on customs procedures, please contact the nearest Customs Counselor.
Please see No. 9301 for inquiries.