There is no specific registration requirement before a business can import or export foods to or from Japan.

A business wishing to import foods must declare them to the Director General of Customs and obtain an import permit after the necessary examination of the foods concerned under the Customs Act. The formalities start with the lodging of an import declaration and end with the issuance of an import permit after the necessary examination and payment of Customs duty and excise tax. A non-resident can also obtain import permits.

The main obstacle to obtaining the permit is the food inspection.

When foods for import require a permit and approval under laws and regulations other than the Customs Act, a certificate of application for a permit and approval under other laws and regulations must be submitted as well as the import declaration mentioned above. Especially for food, a business wishing to import a food, food additive, apparatus, or container/package intended for sale or for use in business must notify at each import the quarantine station of the MHLW as prescribed by ministerial ordinance under the FSA. During document examination by the quarantine station, the food sanitation inspector validates facts such as (i) whether the imported food, etc. complies with the manufacturing standards regulated under the FSA, (ii) whether the use of additives complies with the standards, (iii) whether the import item contains any poisonous or hazardous substance, and (iv) whether the manufacturer or the place of manufacturing has a record of sanitation issues in the past, based on the information reported in the Notification Form. The document examination focuses on information such as the country of export, imported items, manufacturer, the place of manufacture, ingredients and materials, methods of manufacture and use of additives.

If, as a result of the document examination, the food sanitation inspector judges that the cargo should be inspected (cargo with a history of non-compliance, imported swellfish, etc.), an inspection order (inspection order system), a public inspection (other inspection systems) and other inspections (see the next section) will be carried out in order to confirm whether the cargo complies with applicable laws.

If, as a result of the document examination and cargo inspection, the food sanitation inspector finds that the cargo complies with applicable laws (cargo which has "passed" the inspection), a "Certificate of Notification" will be returned to the importer from the MHLW quarantine station where the notification was first submitted. The import procedures will then proceed to the next step. On the other hand, cargo that is judged not to comply with applicable laws (cargo that "did not pass" the inspection) cannot be imported into Japan. The MHLW quarantine station will notify the importer of how the cargo violates the FSA, leaving the importer to take the necessary steps in accordance with the station's instructions. 

Import permits typically take around 60 hours for shipping and 15 hours for air freight.

As mentioned above, if, following a document examination, it is judged that the cargo needs to be inspected, the following inspections will be carried out in order to confirm the cargo's compliance with the applicable laws.

1. Inspection Order System: If examination of the import documents and information on the sanitary situation of the exporting country, the nature of the food and related items, or record of non-compliance of similar items in the past suggests that the food concerned is very likely to
violate the FSA, the MHLW will issue an inspection order and suspend the import procedure until the food, etc. concerned is proven to comply. This system is called the "Inspection Order System" and the importer is responsible for the cost of the inspection. The items that are subject to this system are designated by cabinet order, and details of each item are disclosed to the public every year.

2. Monitoring Inspection System: "Monitoring inspections" are carried out at the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare Quarantine Station for food and related items that are unlikely to be non-compliant with the Food Sanitation Law. Every year, the monitoring inspection system designates the items subject to the monitoring inspections based on the annual import amount and record of past non-compliance for each item. The purpose of the monitoring inspection system is to collect information and data on the sanitary status of diverse food items that are brought into Japan as well as to promote the smooth distribution of these items. While MHLW food sanitation supervisors carry out sample inspections, the import procedures can progress without waiting for the inspection results.

3. Other Inspection Systems: In addition to monitoring inspections, MHLW food sanitation inspectors conduct other kinds of inspections, such as inspections of food and related items that are imported for the first time into Japan, inspections to examine items that do not comply with the
FSA, and inspections to examine food and related items that have experienced an accident during transportation. Additionally, for some first-time imports or regular imports, the MHLW quarantine station requires the importer to conduct an inspection of the cargo in relation to some necessary items, based on the idea that importers also have an obligation to secure food sanitation and safety.

In order to simplify and expedite import procedures, simplified systems of import notification are also available.

1. Advance Notification System: For all food and related products, the import notification form can be submitted starting seven days before the estimated date of the cargo's arrival. Except for the cargo that needs an inspection, a copy of the certificate of notification is issued immediately, either before the arrival of the cargo or after the cargo is unloaded to the bonded area.

2. Planned Import system: If a certain food or related item is intended to be imported repeatedly, an import plan can be submitted with the first import. If the plan is found satisfactory, the submission of import notifications is exempted for a certain period.

3. Inspection Results by Official Inspection Organizations in Other Countries: If the cargo is inspected by an official inspection organization in the exporting country prior to export, and a report of the results of the inspection is attached to the cargo, the cargo may be exempted from inspection at the quarantine station. Inspection items whose results are subject to
change during transportation (bacteria, mycotoxin, etc.) are excluded.

4. Continuous Import of the Same Items: If certain foods and related products are imported repeatedly and inspection results are attached to the import notification form at the initial import, and if document examination reveals no problem, inspection can be exempted in relation
to future occasions of import for a certain period.

5. Advance Approval of Imported Foods and Related Products: If the imported foods, etc. are confirmed to comply with the FSA, the items and the manufacturers may be registered. Inspection in relation to future imports is exempted for these items for a certain period of time and the certificate of notification is issued immediately after submission of the import notification.

A business wishing to export foods must declare the nature of the goods to the Director General of Customs, as well as the quantity, price, and any other prescribed particulars. An export permit must also be obtained after the prescribed physical examination.

Goods for export must be brought into the Customs (Hozei) area or a specially permitted place for storage. The exporter or his/her proxy (known as a Customs broker) prepares an export declaration describing the nature, quantity and value of the goods to be exported. This declaration is accompanied by invoices and other supporting documents and, if required by Japanese laws and regulations other than the Customs Act ("other laws and regulations"), by other documents,
such as permits, approvals, or licenses (e.g., exportation of strategically sensitive materials under the control of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry).

The submitted export declaration is checked against invoices and other supporting documents at Customs.

Document checking is conducted when a statistical classification is correctly made according to the Export Statistical Schedule, when the required permission or approval is secured with respect to pertinent goods, and when a correct application for approved excise tax exemption accompanies the goods which are to be exempted. In checking the submitted documents, Customs decides whether the goods have to be physically examined to ascertain the correctness of the classification of goods and to see whether the examinations required by other laws and regulations have
been completed.

In principle, Customs examinations of goods are conducted at a Customs examination zone in the Customs house or where the goods are stored in cases where the goods cannot be brought to the Customs examination zone.

At the time of export declaration, the exporter is requested to submit two copies of the export report. One is for statistics and the other is kept at Customs for other needs such as export certification.

The Customs Act is the fundamental law concerning exports. In addition, depending on the type of cargo, there are cases which require a permit or prior approval for export of the cargo before export declaration. These must be issued by other authorities, such as the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, in accordance with the requirements of other laws and regulations.

Under other laws and regulations, exporters of cargo, who are required to obtain permits or approvals or pass examinations, must prove to Customs that these requirements have been
met during the Customs clearance procedure, which then needs to be confirmed. Unless these requirements are proven and confirmed, Customs will not permit the cargo to be exported.

In terms of import or export of foods, there are no other required notifications/approvals.

Permits issued by the prefectural governor will be required to be able to sell certain foods listed in the Ordinance for Enforcement of the FSA and local ordinances, including milk, ice cream, meat, seafood, ice cream and other foods.