Sending a gift does not remove the need to describe its contents and value. Before wrapping it, make an item-by-item list that you can use for Japan Post’s International Mail My Page Service. For goods, an address written on the box is not a substitute for the electronic customs information and required documents.
First check whether the gift can be sent
There are two separate questions: whether the contents are permitted, and whether the chosen postal service currently accepts shipments to that destination. Japan Post’s beginner guide directs senders to check both worldwide restrictions and country-specific conditions, followed by service availability. Do this before investing time in a label. Source: Japan Post’s overseas-shipping guide, steps 1 and 2
This article covers preparing information; it does not confirm acceptance for a particular country or calculate the recipient’s import charges. A properly completed label cannot by itself establish that a particular item is admissible.
“Gift” describes the purpose, not what is in the box
Japan Post asks for accurate contents information, including product names, quantities, weights and prices, preferably in English or alternatively French. Vague or inaccurate descriptions can delay processing or lead to return or confiscation. Source: Accurate Description of Contents
Instead of preparing a single line reading “gift”, identify each type of item. The following is a fictional worksheet, not a completed declaration or a claim about current retail prices:
| Description, if accurate | Quantity | Hypothetical unit value | Line value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton hand towel | 2 | JPY 600 | JPY 1,200 |
| Ceramic mug | 1 | JPY 1,500 | JPY 1,500 |
| Total | 3 items | — | JPY 2,700 |
The arithmetic is 2 × 600 + 1 × 1,500 = 2,700 yen. Your actual descriptions and values must match your goods. Add the real weights rather than inventing them from this example.
When entering a form, read whether a field expects a unit value or a total value. The worksheet separates both so you do not accidentally enter JPY 1,200 as the price of each of the two towels. It is a preparation tool, not a reproduction of the current My Page screen.
A gift still has a value to report
Japan Post’s gift-specific FAQ advises entering the price if possible: omitting it may slow clearance or result in the recipient being questioned. Source: “I’m sending a gift. Do I have to indicate the price?”
“No payment from the recipient” and “no value” are different statements. Keep receipts or other information you used to identify the value with your preparation notes. If the value of a used or handmade item is uncertain, resolve that question with the relevant official guidance before submitting; the FAQ does not provide a universal valuation formula.
Prepare the electronic data and the paper documents together
Japan Post identifies goods with a declarable value as generally requiring Electronic Advance Data, or EAD. Even books, calendars and recorded media may be subject to customs inspection; being flat or fitting in an envelope does not settle the question. Source: items requiring EAD
For shipments requiring EAD, do not plan on an old handwritten goods label. Japan Post states that mandatory transmission to all countries and territories took effect on March 1, 2024, while noting a separate exception for EMS labels containing documents without dutiable articles. Source: handwritten-label FAQ
The International Mail My Page Service sends the entered information as EAD. Its label process also prints the required customs declaration forms, CN22 or CN23, as appropriate. You do not need to independently guess which of those forms to prepare. Follow the output instructions and attach any additional documents required for the destination. Sources: My Page explanation, customs declaration forms
Reconcile the list with the package before handing it over
Lay out the contents once more and compare them with your worksheet: descriptions, quantities, weights, values and currency. If you added a last-minute item or removed something, update the label information rather than assuming the change is too small to matter.
Then compare the printed documents with the information you intended to submit. The useful final question is not just “Did it print?” but “Does this describe the box I am actually sending?”
This is desk research from Japan Post’s public instructions. No account was registered, no declaration was submitted and no parcel was mailed. Destination-specific tax relief, valuation disputes and delivery times remain outside the scope.