Sending a Gift to Your Family! How to Send a Parcel Overseas

Photo by Clint Budd

While we are physically separated because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many international residents living in Japan are having trouble to return to their countries. In such an unusual situation, we want to at least be able to send parcels to our friends and families. But just like we are now restricted from going out freely, quarantine activities for international cargo have been strengthened across the world. Japan Post also renewed transactions for international parcels from January this year. If you are sending a parcel to foreign country for the first time or haven’t sent international parcel for a long time, it is a good idea to learn how to send in advance.

Sending from Post Office

From January 2021, Japan Post have abolished all hand-written way bills of international parcels. All international way bills must be created and printed online via Japan Post website. Along with this change, the website was renewed and became multi-lingual screen. The way-bill page is available in three languages: Japanese, English and Chinese.

1. Go to Japan Post website top page, click “Sending overseas” and “Express Mail Service (EMS)”, then click “Log in here” on the right on the screen. Choose language on the following page.
   
2. Click “Create labels” in the “Online Shipping Tools” box.
   
3. Click “Add a new sender record” and enter sender’s information.
4. Once returned to Select a sender page, select the sender you entered in 3., then click “Continue”.
5. In the center of “Select a recipient” page, click “Create a new recipient record” and enter recipient’s information.
6. Select a recipient, and on the next page, select shipping type (e.g., EMS, international E-packet, etc). Then enter content details (content name, price, qty, weight) and record.
   
7. On the “Resister information to send” page, enter the date, commercial value/no commercial value, etc., then click “continue”.
8. Review the details you have entered, then confirm (once you click confirmation button, way bill number will be allocated).
9. Print way bill, bring it with the parcel to a post office to make a payment and send.

A way bill must be placed in an adhesive plastic pouch and attached on a parcel. Plastic pouches are available at post office, or you can order online.

Japan Post website

Sending by Yamato Transport/Sagawa Express

Two major Japanese courier companies Yamato Transport and Sagawa Express also provide international courier service. The procedure for sending is similar to those of Japan Post, but there is no online way bill format, therefore you will need to get way bill from one of their branch offices, and write it by hand. In addition, you will need to attach three copies of invoice when you send an international parcel. A template of invoice is available on their websites. The procedure to send is as follows.

1. Print three copies of invoice using online template.
2. Bring a parcel and invoices to a branch office and write a way bill.
3. Attach the way bill and invoices to the parcel and make payment.

Yamato Transport Invoice template
Sagawa Express

Precautions

• Check on prohibited items to import specified by destination countries before you pack your parcels. Each country has their own list of prohibited items. Lists of prohibited items are available on Japan Post website.
• Make sure all the contents on way bills and invoices are correct. If an undeclared item is detected by pre-shipping X-ray and other examinations, a parcel will be returned to sender at sender’s cost.
• Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, shipping companies may reject international cargos to specific destinations. Make sure if you are allowed to send a parcel to your desired destination.
• Yamato Transport and Sagawa Express may reject sending personal cargo to specific destination.

Yamato Transport
Sagawa Express

Pack n’ Send!

It’s been more than 18 months since the COVID-19 pandemic started. Vaccination has been commenced across the world, but there is still no sign for this crisis to end. People are unprecedentedly separated now, and same for distribution of goods. All countries are being extra sensitive on quarantine at the moment, therefore you need to pay careful attention to what you send overseas. If you want to send any goods to your country while your stay in Japan, make sure you learn how to create way bill and invoices, as well as what is prohibited in a destination country.