[Procedure name] Entry/Departure Permit for a Closed Port
(Procedures for vessels and aircraft)
[ Summary]
- Procedures for a foreign trading vessel or a foreign trading aircraft (hereafter referred to as a "foreign trading vessel, etc.") when entering or departing a closed port
[ Bases for procedures]
- Article 20 Paragraph 1 of the Customs Law
- Article 18 Paragraph 1 of the Cabine Order for Enforcement of the Customs Law
- Article 100 Paragraph 2 of the Customs Law
- Article 3 of the Cabinet Order for Customs Fees
- Article 101 Paragraph 3 of the Customs Law
- Article 11 of the Cabinet Order for Customs Fees
[ Subjects to procedure]
- A master of a vessel or a captain of the aircraft of a foreign trading vessel, etc. that is going to enter/depart a closed port
- An agent of the master of the vessel or the captain of the aircraft, the owner or the operator of the vessel or aircraft, or agent thereof may also peform the procedure.
[ Time of submission]
- Submit your application for a permit before entering or departing a closed port.
[ Method of submission]
- Prepare the following documents and submit them to the guard section of the customs office having jurisdiction over the closed port where your foreign trading vessel, etc. is going to enter/depart.
- For the convenience of navigation and other reasons, the applicant of a foreign trading vessel, etc. may submit the required documents to the guard section of a customs office other than those having jurisdiction over closed ports.
[ Fee]
- Pay the following fee for each entry and departure for this permit.
(1)  For a foreign trading vessel, 36 yen per net ton or fraction thereof.
(2)  For a foreign trading aircraft, 500 yen per tare ton or fraction thereof.
(3)  For a foreign trading aircraft used for regular transportation business as defined in the Aviation Law, 250 yen per tare ton.
- When a foreign trading vessel has entered the same closed port four or more times from January 1 through December 31 of the same year, the vessel may apply for an exemption of fees for the fourth and later entries.
[ Documents to be attached and number of copies]
- Application for Exemption of Fees for Permission for Entrance into and Departure from Closed Port: two copies (one of them is issued back to the applicant.)
When a foreign trading vessel has entered the same closed port four or more times from January 1 through December 31 of the same year, the vessel may apply for an exemption of fees for the fourth and later entries.
Note:  When necessary, the customs office may ask for a presentation of entry/departure permit for the said closed port from the first to third entries/departure within the year from January 1 through December 31, or of the "logbook"or "statement of the captain of the vessel" and/or other documents for the foreign trading vessel that confirm permits for the first through third entries/departures of the said closed port in the said period.
[ Application form and description]
(The following forms may be printed for use in A4-sized (portrait) sheets of paper.)
- Application for Permission for Entrance into and Departure from Closed Port (Customs Form C No. 2100)
In the "Name of Closed Port" column, describe the name of the port prescribed in the Port Regulation Law, or the name of the area, etc. when not prescribed in the law.
- Application for Exemption of Fees for Permission for Entrance into and Departure from Closed Port (Customs Form C No. 8030)
In the "Dates of entry/departure of closed port" column, describe the specific dates of the first to third entries/departures that the said foreign trading vessel made within the year from January 1 to December 31.
In the "Fees for entry/departure permits of closed port" column, fill in the sums of fees for the first to third entries/departures of the closed port that the said foreign trading vessel made within the year from January 1 to December 31.
[ Submitted to]
- Submit the documents to the guard section of the customs office having jurisdiction over the closed port that your foreign trading vessel, etc. is going to enter/depart.
- For the convenience of navigation or other reasons, the required documents may be submitted to the guard section of a customs office other than those having jurisdiction over closed ports.
[ Reception time]
- Office hours of customs (8:30 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. excluding holidays of the administrative agencies).
Contact the guard section of the customs office beforehand when intending to submit the required documents outside the office hours of customs.
[ Consultation service]
- For information, contact a customs counselor or the guard section of the customs office that processes your submitted documents.
[ Submission standard]
- That the said foreign trading vessel, etc. has arrived by way of an open port or a customs airport. However, this condition does not apply to entries/departures when the vessel, etc. has arrived at a closed port for repair, or when customs considers not an obstacle to execution of customs surveillance and control.
[ Standard processing time]
[ Administrative appeal]
- Any person may file a protest with the Director-General of Customs within two months from the following the date of acknowledgement of a disposition related to the said procedure in case he or she is not satisfied with that disposition.
[ Remarks]
- Upon application, the customs office may make necessary examinations of the goods loaded in the said vessel or aircraft.