Guides to sourcing from Japan

Practical, checkable guides to finding, verifying, paying and working with Japanese manufacturers. Written for overseas buyers, with every company on this site matched to its official corporate registration.

43 guides · updated regularly · free

Start hereHow to Find a Manufacturer in JapanA step-by-step guide to finding a Japanese manufacturer that will actually take your order, verify as real, and reply to an overseas buyer. What works and what wastes time.Read the guide → · 6 min read

Finding and verifying suppliersサプライヤーを探す

How to Verify a Japanese Company Before You Send MoneyA practical checklist for confirming a Japanese supplier is real before you pay. Red flags, what to ask for, and the checks that catch fraud early.8 min read Japanese Supplier ScamsHow Japanese supplier and exporter scams work, the exact red flags, and the 20-minute checks that stop you wiring money to a fake company. Real cases inside.8 min read Japanese Manufacturing RegionsA guide to Japan's manufacturing regions and what each is known for, from Aichi automotive to Tsubame Sanjo metalware, so you search where your capability actually clusters.5 min read Japan Manufacturing Trade ShowsHow to use Japan manufacturing trade shows to meet suppliers who never appear in English search, how to prepare, what to bring, and the follow up step where most buyers fail.5 min read What Does Japan Manufacture? The Industries Worth Sourcing FromWhat Japan manufactures and what it is genuinely best at: precision components, automotive parts, electronics, semiconductors, machine tools and materials, and where each fits.4 min read Sourcing Agent vs DirectWhether you need a Japan sourcing agent or can buy direct: what agents actually do, what they cost, when direct works, and the honest middle path most buyers miss.5 min read

Sourcing by capability分野から探す

Contacting and working with suppliers取引を進める

How to Contact Japanese Manufacturers (and Actually Get a Reply)Why Japanese manufacturers do not reply to overseas inquiries, and how to contact them so you get an answer: the right first email, the language barrier, and what works.6 min read Japanese Business Etiquette for BuyersPractical Japanese business etiquette for buyers sourcing from Japan: first contact, meetings and business cards, how negotiation really works, and the mistakes that end deals.5 min read Japanese Supplier MOQ and Lead TimesWhat to expect from a Japanese supplier MOQ and lead time, why minimums are higher and less negotiable than in China, and how to ask for a pilot run politely.6 min read Japanese Trading Company vs ManufacturerHow to tell a Japanese trading company from the actual manufacturer, why so many exports go through one, what the middleman costs you, and when going direct is worth it.6 min read Japanese Supplier Quality ControlHow to run quality control with a Japanese supplier: what to specify before production, first article approval, inspection levels, factory audits and third party inspection.5 min read NDA with Japanese SuppliersHow to use an NDA with Japanese suppliers, what it does and does not cover, who owns the tooling you paid for, and when to register your rights in Japan before sharing designs.5 min read JIS Standards and Japanese Quality Certifications ExplainedWhat JIS standards are, how the JIS mark works, how JIS relates to ISO, and what a certification actually tells a buyer about a Japanese supplier.5 min read

Paying, importing and logistics支払いと輸入

How to Pay Japanese SuppliersHow to pay Japanese suppliers safely: bank transfer, letter of credit, and net terms explained, plus the payment red flags that signal fraud and how to earn better terms.6 min read Manufacturing in Japan vs ChinaAn honest comparison of manufacturing in Japan vs China: unit cost, minimum order quantities, lead times, quality consistency and IP. Includes when Japan is the wrong choice.6 min read Importing from JapanWhat importing from Japan actually involves: the order to delivery sequence, the documents you need, who arranges freight, duties and taxes, and the mistakes that cost money.6 min read Incoterms for Japanese SuppliersWhich Incoterms to use for Japanese suppliers and what each really means for cost and risk. FOB vs CIF vs EXW vs DDP, the container nuance, and the mistakes to avoid.5 min read Import Duty from Japan to the USAHow import duty from Japan to the USA works: find your HS code, read the tariff schedule, add the current additional tariffs, and calculate landed cost. Updated July 2026.6 min read OEM vs ODMOEM vs ODM explained: what each term means, who owns the design and the tooling, which one fits your product, and how both work when sourcing from Japan.5 min read Shipping from JapanHow shipping from Japan works: choosing air or ocean freight, FCL vs LCL, the documents you need, what drives the cost, and realistic transit times.5 min read

Trade terms explained貴易用語

International Trade Terms ExplainedPlain English definitions of the trade terms you meet when importing: HS code, Incoterms, bill of lading, demurrage, certificate of origin, letter of credit and more.4 min read What Is an HS Code? How to Find and Use YoursWhat an HS code is, how the digits are structured, how to find the right code for your product, and what happens if you classify it wrong.4 min read Ex Works (EXW) ExplainedWhat Ex Works means, where risk and cost transfer, the export clearance problem buyers hit, and when EXW is and is not the right term to agree.4 min read What Is a Bill of Lading? Types, Uses and Why It MattersWhat a bill of lading is, the difference between original, straight, seaway and telex release, and why whoever holds the original controls the cargo.4 min read Demurrage and DetentionDemurrage and detention explained: the difference between the two, what free time means, why the charges accrue daily, and the practical ways importers avoid them.4 min read Certificate of OriginWhat a certificate of origin is, the difference between preferential and non-preferential, who issues it, and when an importer actually needs one.4 min read Letter of Credit ExplainedHow a letter of credit works step by step, what sight and usance mean, what discrepancies cost, and when an importer should use one instead of a bank transfer.4 min read What Does a Freight Forwarder Do? And Do You Need One?What a freight forwarder does, how they differ from a customs broker and a carrier, what they charge for, and how to choose one for imports from Japan.4 min read

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