Restriction on weight of package from Japan to the U.S.

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Nov 14th, '10, 21:42
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Re: Restriction on weight of package from Japan to the U.S.

by Chip » Nov 14th, '10, 21:42

I have heard from Magokorodo. The news was news to him.

He checked several post offices who also knew nothing. I will post more later. He asked me to let you know he will pass on information to me for our members when he hears more. He is checking at least once a day for more information.

He is obviously genuinely concerned.

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Re: Restriction on weight of package from Japan to the U.S.

by Proinsias » Nov 14th, '10, 22:06

If you're googling for this I found those links upthread by searching for combinations of "japan" "16" "453" "post" "package" and clicking between "news", "past 24 hrs", "past week" and "latest".

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Re: Restriction on weight of package from Japan to the U.S.

by Chip » Nov 14th, '10, 22:32

Mago's PO also checked with Osaka International PO.
Mago wrote:The reply of the Osaka international mail office was "the details about regulation had not been decided yet."
Similarly they were waiting for the determination from a country.
Their reply is saying that all the parcels of addressing to the United States of 1 pounds or more may be the targets of indefinite shipment regulation.
Probably the Osaka international mail office is waiting for the determination from the United States and Japan.Can you tell this to your members?

If shipment regulation also makes us an object, we cannot do shipment.
Shipment regulation of the Christmas season gives the serious we damage for.
The information about shipment regulation may be updated by November 17.
If the person in charge of my post office had progress in the news about shipment regulation, he said to me that he was reported by Website of a Japanese post office.

I will check Website of a Japanese post office every day.
And I will tell it immediately to you, when a formal determination is reported.
I have also indirectly and directly contacted several tea vendors located in Japan ... still awaiting feedback.

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Re: Restriction on weight of package from Japan to the U.S.

by Chip » Nov 14th, '10, 23:36

I asked Kevin from O-Cha ... his initial response ...
Kevangogh wrote:We have a registered business account with Japan Post so I don't think this will affect us. In fact, they supply us with our EMS labels pre-printed.

Also, we are on "deferred payment" system so I think we're okay. This may cause some grief for others though.

So glad we are a fully incorporated Japanese company!

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Re: Restriction on weight of package from Japan to the U.S.

by togei » Nov 15th, '10, 02:46

I just got back from the Japanese post office.
They will accept packages till tomorrow the 16th.
For those vendors in Japan that are saying there isn't anything on the post office site or in the media you should send them the link I posted in the first post and the Mainichi link someone else posted later. They are in the Japanese media and in Japanese. It is hard to say there isn't anything official or the parameters aren't defined with those 2 to look at.
As I understand it the exception about "known" senders seems to apply to large companies, think Panasonic or Toyota. That still needs to be confirmed but it doesn't seem to apply to even small, registered with the post office companies. If it does apply the the smaller companies, great.
As far as there not being a large splashy headline that doesn't surprise me.
Dave

P.S.
I just called a larger post office and here is the story.
"Known sender" means someone who registers with the post office and pays at the end of the month. There is a minimum requirement on how many packages you have to send per month.
I am sure those who aren't registered with the post office are scrambling now and registering. The problem is it takes 2 weeks for the paperwork to go through and then you have to wait 30 days.

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Nov 15th, '10, 04:37
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Re: Restriction on weight of package from Japan to the U.S.

by greenleafblue » Nov 15th, '10, 04:37

just saw this from a jpn bookstore:
"Due to tighter security measures related to cargo bound for the United States, which includes international mail, as of this Wednesday, November 17, Japan Post will for the foreseeable future not accept Airmail packages bound for the U.S. that weigh over 16 ounces (or 453 grams) from non-registered shippers. This effects all EMS, Standard Airmail, and Economy Airmail (SAL) shipments. As far as we understand, this does not affect Surface shipments. With the exception of a few titles, most books we sell in the bookstore weigh more than 16 ounces. "

hope this helps.

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Re: Restriction on weight of package from Japan to the U.S.

by skilfautdire » Nov 15th, '10, 06:15

Hmmm... sideline business of receiving tea packages from Japan here in Canada and shipping to USA customers ??? :) :(

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Re: Restriction on weight of package from Japan to the U.S.

by Chip » Nov 15th, '10, 09:54

Thanks Togei and Greenleafblue for the info.
skilfautdire wrote:Hmmm... sideline business of receiving tea packages from Japan here in Canada and shipping to USA customers ??? :) :(
I am seeing possibly a more widespread impact ... maybe. :shock: :cry: Time will tell. But hopefully our faves will qualify for the exceptions.

Maybe in a week or two this will have just been a blip in the screen. Or did the world just get smaller?

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Re: Restriction on weight of package from Japan to the U.S.

by JBaymore » Nov 15th, '10, 12:02

Man, this is likely going to screw up us potters that do some bi-directional business with Japan!

Sounds like another case of governments doing the "Ready, Shoot, Aim" routine.

best,

................john

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Re: Restriction on weight of package from Japan to the U.S.

by Chip » Nov 15th, '10, 14:03

... as the world turns ...

Heard a bit more good news from Kevin of O-Cha.
Kevangogh wrote:Hey,

We just got off phone with post office. Yeah, this is pretty serious. If you don't have a dedicated postal account with Japan Post, they're not going to let you send anything over 453 grams. That's basically 3 bags of tea, lol. This includes EMS. In order to have a dedicated postal account, you have to have a real company here. We pay once a month, not every time we go to the post office, that is known as a "deferred" account. Since they know you and you are not some Joe coming to the window, you are safe. So probably people like Ippodo, Hibikian, O-Cha.com, etc are safe. We shall see, but this has the potential to shake things up a bit I think.
And another update from Kevin.
Kevangogh wrote:We've confirmed with our post office - we qualify for the exemption. We pay at the end of the month, have been for two years, we are known.

Probably won't be too easy to register at the post office if you aren't a registered company in Japan with a bank account.

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Re: Restriction on weight of package from Japan to the U.S.

by JBaymore » Nov 15th, '10, 14:12

This will kill a lot of the Japanese E-Bayers!

best,

...............john

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Re: Restriction on weight of package from Japan to the U.S.

by togei » Nov 15th, '10, 17:53

I would like to respond to a couple of things in this thread.

It is possible for individuals to register for a post office account. I am going today to do just that. There are very low minimum package requirements and some paper work that needs to be filed. I haven't registered because one of the things I do with all the packages I send is affix commemorative Japanese stamps. I buy these in bulk in the year and do all my packing before I take the package to the post office.

Sea mail is still a go. No weight limits. For ceramics often time seamail is better.
Japanese people selling on Ebay can register with the post office just as easily. There will be a gap of about 5 weeks in which the registration will take place but I think for the most part the sellers are professional and will weather it well.

It is a matter of paper work and fees to register a company. The registering of a company is usually done for tax or liability reasons, not as an indication of integrity or trustworthiness. There are as many poorly run registered companies here as there are in any country.

As a contrast to to how easy it is to register a company here, compare to registering on Yahoo in Japan. It took me about a month to register to sell on Yahoo.jp. The postman came to my house and made sure I was a real person, checked my drivers license and I had to jump through a few more hoops to register.
When I applied for a license to buy and sell antiques there was an extensive background check that took a couple of months. In 16 years here I have never had even a parking ticket. As I understand the check, anything can disqualify your application for the dealers license. Both are much stricter than registering a company.

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Re: Restriction on weight of package from Japan to the U.S.

by Chip » Nov 15th, '10, 18:39

I think we are all learning through this process. What we seemed to know or not know yesterday has certainly changed today. And what we seem to know today will likely change by tomorrow.

For instance the exceptions are not limited to big companies like Panasonic as was speculated yesterday, this is good news! Hopefully each day will bring more good news!

It is great that we have a forum to discuss this current event and are getting input from individuals and businesses in Japan.

Unless you want the "slow boat" I would think EMS is looking more attractive than SAL these days.

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Re: Restriction on weight of package from Japan to the U.S.

by togei » Nov 16th, '10, 05:41

I am registering tomorrow with the post office. It is possible for non-registered, non- incorporated businesses to register and send packages as usual. There is a processing time but I am sure anyone not registered with the post office is running down and doing just that.
Dave

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Re: Restriction on weight of package from Japan to the U.S.

by skilfautdire » Nov 16th, '10, 06:04

I've re-read the thread and did not find the origin of this regulation. Japan is applying it, that's pretty much described, but are they the origi-na-tors (as in: "Hasta la vista I'll be back" ?) of this regulation ?

In other words, if this is a USA-based regulation (as Chip observed, 453 g. as a standard value is pretty strange for a metric country), does it affect all other countries shipping to the USA ? If not, why Japan ?

Has Japan announced a substantial contribution say, to make Iran all fiber-optics ? Is this some sort of economic retaliation ? Apart from an incident with the Japanese Red Army killing 20 and injuring 80 others in a Tel Aviv airport in the early 70s, Japan is certainly not known for terrorism targeted at the USA and USA interests. At least not that much. Some other JRA incidents in the 80s targeted USA, Canada embassies, but nothing much, really.

So, anyone know the real origin of this regulation, not only the implemen-ta-tors (as in: ... well, you know :) ) ?

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