On November 19, 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) issued guidance on shipments of samples of new food and beverage products to interested buyers in Japan. FAS is providing this guidance in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting restrictions in travel and trade shows.

Standard import procedures are required for all products for public distribution entering Japan, and U.S. exporters are advised to work with importers and Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare to minimize border delays. The guidance identifies import notification exemptions, duty and tax free eligibility, and various resources for both the U.S. and Japan.

The guidance can be found here:

https://www.fas.usda.gov/data/japan-guidance-shipping-individual-small-sized-samples-japanese-buyers