Ship Machinery from USA to Japan | Export Guide

Japanese plants, labs and contractors buy American machinery — packaging and food-processing lines, test and measurement equipment, industrial and agricultural machines — and Japan charges no import duty on most of it. The work on this lane is in the documents and the details: US export classification and filing, Japanese standards for electrical and pressure equipment, and a power grid that does not match the US one.

AGF coordinates the US end from Glendale: pickup from the manufacturer or dealer, export crating and loading through partners, out-of-gauge equipment, and the EEI filing. In Japan, our WCA partner agent arranges customs clearance through NACCS and delivery to the site; AGF has no office in Japan.

Last reviewed: October 2026

Shipping Machinery & Equipment from USA to Japan

Machines that fit are crated or skidded into 20ft and 40ft containers; taller or wider equipment goes on open tops and flat racks, or breakbulk when it is larger still. From Los Angeles/Long Beach, direct container services typically reach Tokyo or Yokohama in roughly 12–18 days port to port, with Nagoya, Kobe and Osaka on the rotations that call there. East Coast and Midwest equipment goes by rail or truck to the West Coast, or all-water from an East Coast port.

Plan for the destination grid before the machine ships. Japan runs 100 volts single-phase and 200 volts three-phase, at 50 Hz in the east — Tokyo and Yokohama — and 60 Hz in the west, including Nagoya and Osaka; a 60 Hz motor run on 50 Hz turns about one-sixth slower. Japanese New Year, Golden Week and Obon close sites and slow clearance.

Crated in 20ft or 40ft containers; open top, flat rack or breakbulk when out of gauge
Roughly 12–18 days port to port from Los Angeles/Long Beach to Tokyo or Yokohama
EAR classification and EEI filed before the booking is confirmed
ISPM-15 crating and clean, soil-free used equipment

What Drives the Cost

Dimensions and weight: container, open top, flat rack or breakbulk
Export crating and ISPM-15 timber
Japanese consumption tax: 10% at import, with no duty on most machinery
Japanese compliance where it applies: PSE, radio certification, pressure-equipment inspection
Electrical conversion: transformers or a Japanese-voltage build, and 50 or 60 Hz
Rigging and installation at the Japanese site

HS Codes and Duty Notes

Classification guidance only — duty rates change and depend on your exact product. Codes are confirmed with the licensed customs representative at destination before you ship.

HS Code	Products	Notes
Chapter 84	Industrial, packaging, food-processing and agricultural machinery	No Japanese import duty on most lines; 10% consumption tax at import. Classification is agreed with the consignee's customs broker.
Chapter 85	Electrical equipment, controls and wireless-enabled machines	Mostly duty-free into Japan; check PSE for listed electrical products and Radio Act certification for anything with a wireless module.
9027 / 9031	Laboratory, test and measuring instruments	Mostly duty-free into Japan; check the US ECCN, as some instruments are export-controlled.

Regulations and Compliance

EAR classification and licensing

Every item is classified under the Export Administration Regulations before booking. Most machinery is EAR99, or carries an ECCN that needs no license to Japan, but some controlled items need a license whatever the destination. Parties are screened and the end use is checked, so classification starts as soon as the equipment list arrives.

EEI in AES

Electronic Export Information is filed in AES when any Schedule B line exceeds $2,500 or the shipment needs a license, and the ITN goes on the bill of lading. We file it on every shipment that requires it.

Japanese import: importer, tax and duty

The Japanese buyer or its agent is the importer, and the declaration is filed through NACCS. Most machinery enters duty-free, and the 10% consumption tax is paid at import on the customs value. Commercial invoices and packing lists must match the goods exactly.

Japanese standards for electrical and pressure equipment

Listed electrical products need PSE conformity under Japan's Electrical Appliances and Materials Safety Act, and anything with a wireless module needs Radio Act certification. Boilers, pressure vessels, cranes and similar machines fall under Japan's Industrial Safety and Health Act and need Japanese inspection, and some compressors and refrigeration units fall under the High Pressure Gas Safety Act. The buyer should confirm what applies before the order is final.

Power, and soil on used equipment

US machines built for 480 or 240 volts at 60 Hz need transformers in Japan, and in the 50 Hz east the frequency matters as much as the voltage. Used equipment must arrive free of soil, which Japanese plant quarantine does not admit.

Door-to-Door Shipping Service

Send us the equipment list with dimensions and weights. We confirm the export classification, screen the parties, collect from the manufacturer or dealer, arrange crating and loading through partners, and file the EEI in AES.

In Japan, our WCA partner agent arranges customs clearance with the consignee through NACCS, payment of the consumption tax and delivery to the site, where riggers arranged with the buyer place the machine.

Ocean Freight Ground Transport Customs Drayage

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an export license to ship machinery to Japan?

Usually not, but classification comes first. Most machinery is EAR99 or carries an ECCN that needs no license to Japan; some controlled items need one regardless of destination. An EEI is filed in AES when any Schedule B line exceeds $2,500 or a license is required.

What import duty does Japan charge on machinery?

None on most industrial machinery. The 10% consumption tax is collected at import on the customs value. Some equipment also needs Japanese conformity — PSE for listed electrical products, Radio Act certification for wireless modules, and inspection for pressure equipment and cranes.

Will my American machine run in Japan?

With planning. Japan uses 100 volts single-phase and 200 volts three-phase, at 50 Hz in the east and 60 Hz in the west, so a US machine built for 480 or 240 volts needs transformers, and a 60 Hz motor runs about one-sixth slower on 50 Hz. Ordering a Japanese-voltage build, or confirming the conversion with the manufacturer, avoids surprises at installation.

How long does it take to ship machinery from the USA to Japan?

From Los Angeles/Long Beach, direct container services typically reach Tokyo or Yokohama in roughly 12–18 days port to port. Out-of-gauge cargo depends on flat-rack and breakbulk sailings, and East Coast equipment adds rail or trucking to the West Coast or a longer all-water route. We confirm the routing per booking.

Machinery & Equipment is just one example. AGF ships whatever your business moves — on this lane and beyond. If your commodity isn't covered by one of our guides, tell us what you ship and we'll build the logistics around it.