An ordinary international Small Packet from Japan is not a tracked service, and you cannot turn it into registered mail by adding the old registration surcharge. Japan Post says registered handling for Small Packets ended on December 31, 2025. Its current Small Packets page directs people who need a record to International Air Packet. Choose between the services before preparing the label. Japan Post: Small Packets
Decide what you actually need from “tracking”
A record of progress, a recipient’s signature and compensation for loss are different requirements. Write down which one matters before comparing a total price.
Japan Post describes International Air Packet as an airmail service for small goods up to 2kg, with tracking and delivery to the mailbox. It does not require a signature and provides no compensation. Some tracking information may be unavailable depending on the country; taxed items are an exception to ordinary mailbox delivery. International Air Packet: service details
| Your requirement | What follows for this decision |
|---|---|
| You accept sending without a tracking record | Ordinary Small Packet remains a candidate, subject to acceptance conditions |
| You want to follow the item's progress | Examine International Air Packet for the actual destination |
| You need a signed handover | Do not treat an Air Packet delivery scan as the signature you need |
| You require compensation if the item is lost | A tracking number alone does not meet that requirement |
The last two rows are reasons to compare other services, rather than paying for Air Packet and assuming it has the protections of the discontinued registered option.
Do not add the record fee twice
The Air Packet rate table already includes its ¥370 international acceptance-record fee. In the table reviewed for this guide, the first-zone rate for an item up to 500g is ¥1,120. Japan Post: Air Packet rates
For a hypothetical eligible 500g item in that table’s first zone:
- The listed postage is ¥1,120.
- ¥1,120 + ¥370 = ¥1,490 would count the included fee twice.
- The overstatement would be ¥370.
This is a reading exercise, not a quote for a particular shipment. The first zone includes China, South Korea and Taiwan, but a zone label is not confirmation that your particular contents are accepted for your destination today. Packaging costs and any destination charges are also outside this postage example.
Separate size eligibility from service availability
Ordinary Small Packets have a 2kg maximum. For a non-rolled item, the main maximum dimensions are 60cm for the longest side and 90cm for length plus width plus thickness; the page also specifies minimum sizes and separate rules for rolls. Small Packets: size and weight
A hypothetical packed box measuring 30 × 20 × 10cm has a three-side total of 60cm and a longest side of 30cm. Those measurements pass the stated maximum-size checks. If it weighs 2.1kg, however, it fails the weight check. Passing one test does not compensate for failing another.
Likewise, passing both tests does not establish that a service is operating to the destination or that its contents are allowed. Use Japan Post’s country and territory conditions with the destination and actual contents. This guide has not checked an individual country entry and does not certify acceptance for a particular route.
Prepare the label for the service you chose
Japan Post requires Air Packet labels from its International Mail My Page tool; handwritten labels cannot be used. Follow that service’s instructions for the label, customs documents and pouch, rather than attaching an international parcel label or reusing an old label. Air Packet: conditions of use
Before printing, keep a short shipment note: destination, contents, packed weight, three dimensions, and whether you need tracking, a signature or compensation. This makes it easier to spot an unsuitable service before spending time on its paperwork.
This is desk research checked on October 29, 2026, not a posting or delivery test. No label was created, no account was registered, and no delivery date is promised.