Mastering Tax-free Shopping in Japan: from how it works to future revisions

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  • Опубліковано 25 сер 2024
  • Master the Art of Tax-Free Shopping in Japan! Discover how to avoid being stopped at a custom in Japan. It unravels the secrets of Japan's tax-free system, covering everything from eligibility to future changes in 2024 and 2025. Learn about:
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 63

  • @evertime123
    @evertime123 6 днів тому

    Comprehensive!
    Thanks!

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  5 днів тому

      You're welcome! I hope you have an excellent trip to Japan.

  • @nathanpirotte765
    @nathanpirotte765 2 дні тому

    So basically, if I buy a new iPhone tax-free when coming to Japan in October, can I use it straight away? Assume I m leaving four months later, will I have any problems at customs since I have been using it for 4 months? Or is it totally fine?
    Thank you for your video !!

  • @JapanTaxes
    @JapanTaxes  7 місяців тому +3

    I was asked about tax-free iPhones. Apple stores do not offer tax-free sales for iPhones now, so people prefering tax-free must purchase from an electronics retailer. They provide tax-free sales for iPhones, but please be aware that they are just for stocked items. Handling of non-stock items varies from store to store.

  • @douglassloss9336
    @douglassloss9336 27 днів тому +1

    If i purchased Pokemon cards does it apply if i open some of the packs?

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  22 дні тому

      Since Pokémon cards are general goods, opening a box is legal.
      However, I also checked with the Pokémon Center to be sure since the image is out of the general goods category. They pack it as not consumable but as general goods, but the store I asked about it told me not to open the package for safety's sake.
      It may depend on the store, but just for your information.

  • @MVCKXLVY
    @MVCKXLVY Місяць тому

    Great video THANK YOU!

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  Місяць тому

      You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed the video.

  • @ntg1986
    @ntg1986 5 місяців тому +2

    Hello great information, i have a question though..How do i check in my tax free consumables if customs is before the check in baggage counter? Do i have to show the tax free consumables at customs and there pack it in the check in baggage ?

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  5 місяців тому +3

      Customs inspection occurs after the security check, which is also beyond the baggage check-in counter.
      When checking in, please inform the airport staff at the counter that you have tax-free items and wish to check in and require inspection by customs officers. A customs officer will be called to assist you directly at the counter.

  • @eliesleiman7179
    @eliesleiman7179 6 місяців тому +1

    Hey Aki, thanks a lot for the video!! For iPhone tax refund: if Apple store doesn't offer Tax refunds in the store, can I still get the refund at the airport when leaving? also, what do you mean by "stocked items" for the retailers?

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  5 місяців тому

      There is currently no system to receive consumption tax refunds at airports.
      Please note that "stocked items" refers to items that are in the stores of electric retailers at the time of purchase. For example, if you want the iPhone15Pro Max 512GB, but the store does not have the iPhone15Pro Max 512GB there, you can backorder it but cannot purchase it at tax-free.
      I confirmed this operation with BIC Camera. It is possible that different stores have different operations.

  • @nataliakusek8045
    @nataliakusek8045 6 місяців тому +1

    Hi:) so if i bought any clothes and i am wearing them is it ok? But I cannot open package with chocolates, souvenirse etc if it is prepared by cashier?

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  6 місяців тому +1

      Yes, your understanding is correct.

  • @beatriznkrumahsagna9205
    @beatriznkrumahsagna9205 7 місяців тому

    How does it work? If a buy tax free cosmetic and then consume it. How do they know that I bought it? Is it registered somewhere? I wanted to buy a lot of matcha tea on my way home so I can have it for a long time before going to Japan again

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  7 місяців тому +1

      Consumables are packed in a tamper-proof bag when bought.
      When leaving Japan, the unopened seal must be presented at customs to prove that you are taking the purchased items out of Japan.
      If you open it, you must pay the consumption tax on the spot. If you prefer tax-free benefits, please remain the consumables unopened until you are home.
      Matcha tea is delicious!

  • @Jake__0200
    @Jake__0200 7 місяців тому +1

    Thank you for this video, Please could you explain how this applies to electronics like Cameras and Lens? say i buy a lens or a camera tax free, can i use the camera or lens in Japan or do i have to keep it boxed up until i return home? Thank you!

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  7 місяців тому

      Yes, you can have it opened once purchased. Cameras and lenses fall under General Goods, which help you record sightseeing memories. Please ensure you can check them at customs when you return to your country because unannounced inspections are being conducted.

    • @inquisitvem6723
      @inquisitvem6723 5 місяців тому +1

      If they boxed it up at camera store just open it and throw away the box , put lens in suitcase and no one will ever know.

    • @afith6765
      @afith6765 4 місяці тому +3

      @@inquisitvem6723hi there, Japan custom officers are able to see all Tax Free transactions frm scanning ur passport (coz when u applied for tax free frm the shop, u presented ur passport. Otherwise, shop staff wouldn’t able to give u tax free by then and there).
      The custom officer then have the right to check on the physical tax free items. Thus to prevent from any issue due to unable to show the purchased items, this video creator informed us to inform the check-in counter in NRT/HND to ask for airport custom officer to check on the purchased duty free items inside our check-in luggage (before the luggage being sent onto the conveyer belt).
      Hope that will clarify ur understanding. Coz i’ve noticed that u’ve been suggesting others to either throw the box or open the sealed bag n just put the purchased items inside their check-in bag then claimed No Body Knows.
      Nowadays everything is recorded online. Just follow the regulations.

  • @mikedelacruz7470
    @mikedelacruz7470 3 місяці тому

    hi sir what if we are seafarers our ship always sailing to different countries then coming back back to different places in jpan can we open our packages?

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  3 місяці тому

      When leaving the country by ship, I assume that the goods have been taken out of the country once, with consumption tax exemption through a Crew Landing Permit. On that assumption, you can open the goods. If you return to Japan, you will not be able to pay additional consumption tax.

  • @npayetfr1
    @npayetfr1 6 місяців тому

    Thanks for the video. Very informative. Could you tell me if the tax-free 2D QR code is enough to get the tax exemption in most stores like electronics retailers? Or, do you need the stamp on the passport?

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  5 місяців тому

      It is better to prepare to show your passport as well. It is up to the store to decide whether to introduce the system, and some electronics retailers do not support it.

  • @jeyang3131
    @jeyang3131 2 місяці тому

    What if i checkin the items how can they check the items, i can only show the reciepts

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  2 місяці тому

      If you are caught in a customs inspection and can only present the receipts, you may be required to pay consumption tax.
      To fully comply with the law, when you check in items at an airline counter, tell them you would like to be checked by a customs official and ask them to call a customs officer.

  • @MarcosParedes-uw8it
    @MarcosParedes-uw8it 2 місяці тому

    Hey Aki, Im currently in Japan I bought some items tax free but I lost my receipts for the items will I get in trouble or fined if I dont have the receipts on me present when arriving to the customs area at the airport? And also what about the items that are not tax free, I got a Mario tshirt from Kyoto and they didn’t offer tax free but its a souvenir for a family member will I get fined for it as well?

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  2 місяці тому +1

      When you present your passport to customs upon departure, a customs official can see your tax-free purchase history. You do not need to present receipts or other documents.
      However, you must present your goods if they request you.
      General goods like T-shirts (not consumables like souvenir food) can be tax-free subject to purchases of ¥5,000 or more per day (excluding tax) at the same tax-free store. I assume the Mario T-shirt could not be more expensive than JPY5,000, or the store didn't qualify as tax-free.

  • @vanessamontelibano
    @vanessamontelibano 6 місяців тому

    So they can see your purchase history upon departure at Narita Airport? and the will check it?

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  6 місяців тому

      By looking at your passport, customs officials can verify the purchase history. It seems that they inspect only some items. In some cases, they may end up not checking actual items.

  • @RNGDimma
    @RNGDimma 3 місяці тому

    Hello, im planning a trip to japan and want to buy my first luxury watch. I have seen people buy them tax free. Is it possible to wear it immediately when i bought it? It should be general goods right if i understand correctly? Or do i forget something

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  3 місяці тому +1

      Yes, you can open the lovely watch immediately. Have a nice trip!

    • @RNGDimma
      @RNGDimma 3 місяці тому +1

      @@JapanTaxes Arigatō Gozaimasu Aki! Have great weekend

  • @xluzen
    @xluzen 5 місяців тому

    hello, does the 5000yen requirement mean it must be for a singular item or for the total bill on a singular purchase? thanks for the video!

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  5 місяців тому +3

      (1)In principle, the total amount spent in the same store per day, excluding Japanese consumption tax, must be 5,000 yen or more.
      (2)In department stores and shopping malls with tax refund counters, you can sum up the total amounts at multiple stores in the department for the 5,000 yen criteria.
      (3)There are also exceptional cases where general goods and consumables are combined, in which case the amounts may be added together. However, in this case, you must meet the maximum limit of 500,000 yen; (3) is complicated and can be ignored.

    • @xluzen
      @xluzen 5 місяців тому

      ​@@JapanTaxes thank you very much!

  • @bweeks244
    @bweeks244 7 місяців тому

    Hi Thankyou for your video, I do have one question! I have bought a pair of shoes tax free in Japan which I will be putting in my check-in luggage to bring back to Australia. Do I need to fill out any forms at Japan airport at all in regard to my tax free purchase?

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  7 місяців тому +1

      Tax-free good must be checked at the airport departure gate by showing the goods to a customs official.
      If you are checking your shoes in a suitcase on board, please ask the airline staff to call a customs official at that point and present the shoes and your passport.
      Have a great trip!

    • @inquisitvem6723
      @inquisitvem6723 5 місяців тому

      Why fill out forms? Just take shoes out of box( throw away box)and put shoes in suitcase and no one will ever know.

  • @jenneyjanenave5611
    @jenneyjanenave5611 4 місяці тому

    How about i bought a power bank then was packed together with the chocolates. I have a a tax free of 600 yen. How much will i pay for tax consumption?

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  4 місяці тому

      The power bank and chocolates were packaged together, presumably by the legal bundling of consumable goods. The tax-free 600 yen means that 600 yen of the consumption tax was exempted. You probably spent ¥6,000 on your purchase and paid no consumption tax.

    • @jenneyjanenave5611
      @jenneyjanenave5611 4 місяці тому

      Thank you for the answer.

  • @jaymeez
    @jaymeez 5 місяців тому

    I want to buy several prescription eyeglasses. So I can not open/wear my new glasses until I get home to avoid taxes?

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  5 місяців тому

      Eyeglasses are general goods. You can get to open and use them right after you buy them.

    • @jaymeez
      @jaymeez 5 місяців тому

      @@JapanTaxes How about a camera? Of I buy a camera at the start of my trip I can use it or do I have to keep it in the plastic and return to America with it unopened

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  5 місяців тому

      You can open and use it the same way you use eyeglasses.

  • @DanielReyes-lu5ui
    @DanielReyes-lu5ui 6 місяців тому

    Where is customs located at KIX? So that i can go to them before checking in

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  6 місяців тому

      Unfortunately, the customs is located after passing a security check, so you can't go there before checking in.
      This is the departure flow of KIX. You can see check-in at No2 and customs at No5.
      www.kansai-airport.or.jp/en/flight/route/t1_intdep.html#:~:text=Customs%20and%20embarkation%20procedures

    • @DanielReyes-lu5ui
      @DanielReyes-lu5ui 6 місяців тому

      @@JapanTaxes thanks for your reply. Last question. So how am i suppose to show them the goods i bought when it will be in my check in luggage?

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  6 місяців тому

      If you are departing from KIX, when you check in your suitcase containing tax-free items, tell the airline staff that you have them and ask for a customs officer to come and check them. That's the answer I received from the Osaka Customs.
      It may vary depending on airports and airlines. They may only inspect some (people or items), but you can eliminate the possibility of problems.
      I first asked one airline to confirm how to be checked, but they needed to learn better. We should know that old information is mixed and unreliable because the system is close to changing.

  • @qtt323
    @qtt323 7 місяців тому

    Do you know if Costco shopping in Japan is tax free for foreigners?

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  7 місяців тому +2

      Probably no. I contacted them and got a reply that they don't sell items tax-free now.
      In a November 2023 report, Costco Japan was hit with an additional tax of 1.5 billion yen for making sales that did not meet tax-free requirements, which would have stopped tax-free selling.

  • @savanahk5044
    @savanahk5044 7 місяців тому

    So I could purchase clothes on my trip tax exempt & wear them while on holiday

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  7 місяців тому

      You're right. Clothes are General Goods, so you don't have to keep them packed. You can use it while on a trip. When leaving Japan, making it easy to check if necessary is helpful.

  • @paulinalunalt8727
    @paulinalunalt8727 6 місяців тому

    Can I put my tax free sealed bags in my checked luggage? If so, how do I show I bought it tax free? Or should it be only on my carry on?

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  6 місяців тому

      You may ask for a customs officer at the check-in counter. This is the answer I got after inquiring with the customs office. Please note that there may be slight differences from airport to airport.

    • @inquisitvem6723
      @inquisitvem6723 5 місяців тому

      @@JapanTaxesdid you get charged for it? Why not just open the items and put in checked bag. No one will ever know

  • @madamkat-july16
    @madamkat-july16 4 місяці тому

    I bought some make-up for us to use can I open it.

    • @madamkat-july16
      @madamkat-july16 4 місяці тому

      I am not selling genuinely for using nail cutter soap for my face

    • @madamkat-july16
      @madamkat-july16 4 місяці тому

      chocolate which my kids ate

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  4 місяці тому

      Makeups are categorized as consumables, and you should not open them. Please do not open the packaging if you want the items tax-free for legal considerations. The same goes for chocolates. Whether you resell them or not, or if you consume them for your own use in Japan, they are subject to Japanese consumption tax. To prove you haven’t consumed or resold them in Japan, you keep them unopened until your departure.
      You can try out makeup. Sample products are available at Japanese drugstores and department stores. If you request it, you can have your makeup color matched with trial makeup at a department store.

    • @ayuindiyah1375
      @ayuindiyah1375 Місяць тому

      Hi i want to know how you end it up with, what happend finally?

    • @JapanTaxes
      @JapanTaxes  Місяць тому

      I'm sorry for the delay in updating this channel. I have been working on a new direction for the videos, and I plan to update them in July.
      Also, the revision of the tax-free system will be decided in the 2025 tax reform announced in December. I will update you as soon as I have more information.