Export & compliance · Japan

Exporting Japanese Wagyu, market by market.

Japanese Wagyu export runs on certified facilities and government health and quarantine certificates. The destination sets the rest — documents, tariff treatment and inspection. Conditions change, so we confirm the current requirements for your market on each shipment.

The common flow

Six steps, Japan to destination.

Every shipment clears the same Japan-side chain before a destination applies its own rules. These six steps are common to all markets; what changes is the documentation and inspection each destination requires.

01

Facility approval

Slaughter and processing must run through facilities certified for the destination by Japan's MHLW.

02

Ante- and post-mortem inspection

Veterinary inspection of every animal; specified risk material (SRM) removed.

03

Meat sanitary certificate

Issued by the meat inspection authority under MHLW rules, carrying the details the destination requires.

04

Export quarantine certificate

Issued by Japan's Animal Quarantine Service (AQS) under the animal-health law.

05

Cold chain

Chilled held at 0–4°C, frozen at −18°C or below, unbroken to the port and destination.

06

Destination clearance

Certificates plus invoice, packing list and origin documents presented to the destination's import authority.

Discuss your market

About these conditions

This is general guidance, not a guarantee. Import eligibility, documents, tariff treatment and clearance times change — we confirm the current requirements for your market on each shipment, and source to order. Nothing here implies stock held in your market.

Tell us your destination market.

Share the market, grade, cuts and format you are working to — our Japan-side team replies with the current import conditions and what is workable.