Increase of consumption tax on imported postal items |
March 19, 2014
Following the increase of consumption tax that is to take place in Japan (both nationally and regionally) starting from April 1, 2014, the consumption tax imposed on the imported postal items will rise from 5% to 8%. Details about the consumption tax rate increase are as explained below in Note 1.
For details about cases when the increased consumption tax rate is applied, please refer to Note 2.
1 Consumption Tax Rate
| Classification | Current rate | From April 1, 2014 onward |
|---|---|---|
| Consumption Tax Rate | 4.0% | 6.3% |
| Regional Consumption Tax Rate | 1.0% （25/100 of consumption tax amount） |
1.7% （17/63 of consumption tax amount） |
| Total | 5.0% | 8.0% |
2 When is the increased consumption tax rate applied?
- Please note that imported postal items subject to import declaration will have the increased consumption tax rate levied on them if the declaration is made after April 1, 2014.
- Postal items not mentioned in point 1 will be subject to the increased consumption tax rate if they are submitted to the customs later than April 1, 2014 (Tuesday).
- Imported postal items that reach Japan by March 31, 2014 (Monday) will still be subject to the increased consumption tax rate if their import declaration and/or submission to the customs takes place after April 1, 2014 (Tuesday).
3 Reference
For details about the increase of consumption tax rate please refer to the following website of the customs office.
http://www.customs.go.jp/news/news/consumptiontax2014/index.htm
