What you can't ship from Japan to China
30 Japan Post import rules · verified · source: Japan Post
Short answer: Japan Post lists 23 item types that cannot be sent to China and 7 that can be sent only under conditions. Separately, Japan Post applies 278 carrier-wide rules to every destination, covering dangerous goods and items banned from international mail — perfume, aerosols and lithium batteries among them. Rules last verified against Japan Post on August 1, 2026.
- Prohibited
- 23
- Conditional
- 7
- Carrier-wide rules
- 278
These are the destination rules Japan Post publishes for China. They do not repeat the items Japan Post refuses to every country — those are on one shared page, linked below. A rule marked conditional allows the item only when the stated conditions hold; whether your product qualifies is what the ShipMate GO app works out before you book.
Plants & animals
5 prohibited · 1 conditional
- Prohibited
Animals, plants, and their products potentially infected with or carrying pathogens, pests, or other harmful organisms
Animals, plants, and products derived from them that may be infected with or carry pathogens, pests, or other harmful organisms are prohibited from shipment to China via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. This prohibition covers any such material that poses a risk of introducing pathogenic bacteria, insects, or other harmful biological agents.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 01
- Prohibited
Animals, plants, their products, and other quarantine-subject items whose import is prohibited
China prohibits the import via all mail and parcel services of animals, plants, and their derivative products that are subject to quarantine, along with items listed in Chinese regulations on hazardous chemicals, civilian explosives, precursor chemicals, and prohibited import/export goods, Category I and II pathogenic microorganisms capable of person-to-person transmission, and any other items banned from postal or courier delivery under Chinese law, administrative regulations, or State Council directives.
- Prohibited
Fresh fruits, vegetables, soil, seeds, seedlings, saplings, and other plant propagation materials
Fresh fruits, vegetables, soil, seeds, seedlings, saplings, and other plant propagation materials are prohibited from being shipped to China via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. No exceptions or conditions are stated.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 07
- Prohibited
Organically cultivated culture media / organic growing media
Organically cultivated culture media (organic growing media) are prohibited from shipment to China via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. No additional details or conditions are provided in the source.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 31
- Prohibited
Rare and Endangered Animals and Plants (including Ivory, Tiger Bone, and Rhinoceros Horn)
Rare and endangered animals and plants, including specimens, seeds, and reproductive substances, are prohibited from shipment to China via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. This prohibition explicitly covers ivory, tiger bone, rhinoceros horn, and products made from these materials.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 05
- Conditional
Plants and plant-based products
Plants and plant-based products shipped to China are conditionally accepted and must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the quarantine authority of the country of origin, and the CN23 customs declaration must include the type and name of the contents along with a detailed contents list. Rice (other than small quantities for personal, non-commercial use) may additionally require prior notification to the relevant regional agricultural policy bureau under Japanese law.
Conditions and documents
- Phytosanitary certificate from the quarantine authority of the country of origin is attached → conditional
- CN23 customs declaration includes the type and name of the contents → conditional
- Detailed contents list is attached to the CN23 customs declaration → conditional
- Rice sent non-commercially for personal use (small quantity) → prior notification to regional agricultural policy bureau may not be required
- Rice sent commercially or in non-personal quantities → prior notification to regional agricultural policy bureau (地方農政局) required under the Food Act
Documents: Phytosanitary certificate issued by the quarantine authority of the country of origin; CN23 customs declaration specifying the type and name of contents; Detailed contents list attached to CN23 customs declaration; Import permit from the destination country (if required); Prior notification to regional agricultural policy bureau (地方農政局) for rice shipments other than small non-commercial personal-use quantities
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 06
Food
5 prohibited
- Prohibited
Bird's nest (edible / food product), excluding canned
Edible bird's nest as a food product is prohibited for shipment to China via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services, with the exception of canned bird's nest products. Non-canned forms — including dried, raw, and prepared varieties — are not permitted.
Details and exceptions
- bird's nest in canned form → not prohibited (excluded from restriction)
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 04
- Prohibited
Eggs and Egg Products
Eggs and egg products are prohibited from being shipped to China via regular mail, parcel, and EMS. This includes raw eggs, century eggs, salted eggs, liquid eggs, eggshells, mayonnaise, and other egg-based products.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 04
- Prohibited
Food, medicine, and other items originating from areas affected by infectious/contagious disease; food, medicine, and other items that may harm humans or livestock or spread disease
Food, medicine, and other goods originating from regions affected by infectious disease are prohibited from shipment to China. Additionally, any food, medicine, or other items that could harm humans or livestock or contribute to the spread of disease are prohibited.
- Prohibited
Products derived from animals
Products derived from animals are prohibited from shipment to China via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. This includes animal-derived feed, traditional Chinese medicine materials, fertilizers, dairy products, fats/oils, hides, hair, hooves, bones, horns, animal carcasses, specimens, and animal waste — with the exception of infant formula/powdered milk for personal use.
Details and exceptions
- powdered milk / infant formula for personal use → permitted
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 02
- Prohibited
Raw or cooked meat (including offal/organs) and meat products, as well as aquatic animal products
Raw and cooked meat, including offal and all meat products, as well as aquatic animal products, are prohibited from shipment to China via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. No exceptions or conditions are stated.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 02
Chemicals
3 prohibited
- Prohibited
Hazardous Substances
Hazardous substances including arsenic, white arsenic, mercury, thallium, cyanide, selenium powder, phenol, and highly toxic pesticides are prohibited from shipment to China via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. These materials are classified as dangerous and are not permitted in any form under the applicable shipping types.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 28
- Prohibited
Narcotics and narcotic paraphernalia; narcotics and psychotropic substances not used for lawful purposes; precursor chemicals not used for lawful purposes
Narcotics, psychotropic substances, narcotic paraphernalia, and precursor chemicals not used for lawful purposes are prohibited from shipment to China via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. This includes substances such as opium, morphine, heroin, cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, ketamine, and amphetamine, as well as drug-use equipment such as marijuana water pipes and precursor chemicals such as ephedrine, safrole, and acetone.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 29
- Prohibited
Radioactive substances and materials
Radioactive substances and materials — including uranium, cobalt, radium, and plutonium — are prohibited from shipment to China via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. No exceptions are noted in the source.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 28
Tobacco
1 prohibited · 1 conditional
- Prohibited
Tobacco leaves (excluding cut/shredded tobacco)
Tobacco leaves, other than cut or shredded tobacco, are prohibited from shipment to China via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. No exceptions or conditions are stated.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 24
- Conditional
Tobacco (Cigarettes)
Cigarettes and tobacco products are conditionally permitted to China via Regular mail, Parcel, and EMS, subject to a limit of 400 cigarettes per mail item and a declared value not exceeding 1,000 Chinese Yuan.
Conditions and documents
- quantity does not exceed 400 cigarettes per mail item → permitted
- declared value of the item does not exceed 1,000 CNY → permitted
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 24
Weapons
2 prohibited
- Prohibited
Firearms and firearm parts (including replica firearms)
Firearms, firearm parts, and replica firearms are prohibited from shipment to China via regular mail, parcel, and EMS. No exceptions are stated in the source.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 93
- Prohibited
Regulated weapons and tools (prohibited knives and bladed weapons, crossbows, defensive chemical dispensers such as pepper spray and tear gas, electric stun guns, etc.)
Prohibited knives and bladed weapons (including daggers, grooved scrapers, and self-locking switchblades), crossbows, aerosol CS irritant projectors, tear gas guns, and electric stunners are prohibited from shipment to China via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. This encompasses single-edged, double-edged, and triangular sharp blades of a regulated type, as well as other defensive chemical dispensers such as pepper spray and tear gas devices.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 93
Alcohol
1 conditional
- Conditional
Wine
Wine is conditionally permitted to China via Regular, Parcel, and EMS shipments. The value of wine per postal item must not exceed 1,000 Chinese Yuan (CNY).
Conditions and documents
- Declared value of wine per postal item is 1,000 CNY or less → permitted
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 22
Books & printed matter
1 prohibited
- Prohibited
Books, publications, pictures, photographs, audiovisual products, and other items containing prohibited content; illegal printed/audiovisual materials and propaganda; documents or files containing state secrets
Books, publications, pictures, photographs, audiovisual products, printed materials, and related items are prohibited when they contain reactionary content, content inciting ethnic hatred, content undermining national unity, content disrupting social stability, content promoting evil cults or religious extremism, or obscene content. Also prohibited are illegal publications, printed matter, audiovisual products, other propaganda materials, and any documents or files containing state secrets.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 49
Currency & valuables
1 prohibited
- Prohibited
Coins, banknotes, currency notes, bearer securities, traveler's checks, and counterfeit or altered currency, certificates, and official seals
Coins, banknotes, currency notes, bearer securities, traveler's checks, and any counterfeit or altered currency, certificates, or official seals are prohibited from shipment to China via regular mail, parcel, and EMS. No exceptions or conditions are stated.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 49
Other items
5 prohibited · 4 conditional
- Prohibited
Genetically Modified Biological Materials (Biomaterials)
Genetically modified biological materials (biomaterials) are prohibited from being shipped to China via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. No exceptions or conditions are stated in the source.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 30
- Prohibited
Goods infringing intellectual property rights, counterfeit goods, and substandard goods
Items that infringe patents, trademarks, or copyrights (such as pirated books and audiovisual products), as well as counterfeit or substandard goods including food, pharmaceuticals, children's products, electronics, cosmetics, and textiles, are prohibited from shipment to China via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services.
- Prohibited
Microbial strains, virus strains, and other pathogens of animals and plants, pests and other harmful organisms, cells, organs and tissues, blood and blood products, and other biological materials
Microbial strains, virus strains, animal and plant pathogens, harmful organisms, cells, organs, tissues, blood, blood products, and other biological materials are prohibited from being sent to China via all mail types. No exceptions or conditions are stated.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 30
- Prohibited
Special Intelligence / Espionage Equipment
Equipment designed for covert intelligence operations is prohibited from shipment to China via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. This includes hidden listening devices, covert cameras, burst transceivers, one-time cipher pads, secret writing instruments, and electronic surveillance or interception devices for gathering information.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 85
- Prohibited
Valuables / Precious Items
Platinum, gold, and silver (processed or unprocessed), precious stones, gemstones, and other valuables are prohibited from shipment to China via Regular mail, Parcel, and EMS. Both raw and worked forms of these materials are covered by this restriction.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 71
- Conditional
Other items subject to customs import restrictions
Certain other goods are subject to customs import restrictions when shipping to China via regular mail, parcel, or EMS. These items are conditionally accepted depending on applicable customs requirements.
- Conditional
Personal use items
Personal use items are conditionally accepted: if the declared value of a single mail item exceeds CNY 2,000, the recipient must complete customs clearance procedures. An exception applies when the contents are recognized by customs as a personal use item and constitute a single indivisible article.
Conditions and documents
- value of contents per mail item exceeds CNY 2,000 → recipient must complete customs clearance procedures
- value of contents per mail item exceeds CNY 2,000, but the contents are recognized by customs as a personal use item AND constitute a single indivisible article → customs clearance procedures by recipient are not required
- Conditional
Screws
Screws including wood screws, self-tapping screws, other screws and bolts, and spring washers or other locking washers are conditionally permitted for shipment to China. They are allowed only for personal use and only when the value per mailpiece does not exceed 1,000 Chinese yuan.
Conditions and documents
- For personal use only, and the value of the goods per mailpiece does not exceed 1,000 Chinese yuan → permitted
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 73
- Conditional
Wireless transmission equipment
Wireless transmission equipment is conditionally accepted for shipment to China; only models approved by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and compliant with civilian access standards are permitted. Individuals may not send satellite television receiving equipment, including antennas, tuners, receivers, encoders, decoders, and integrated decompression/reception units.
Conditions and documents
- Model approved by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and compliant with civilian access standards → permitted
- Satellite television receiving equipment (antennas, tuners, receivers, encoders, decoders, integrated decompression/reception units) sent by an individual → prohibited
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 85
Applies to every destination, including China
Japan Post applies 278 carrier-wide rules to every country on top of the rules above — outright bans on dangerous goods such as perfume, aerosols and lighters, and conditions on items such as lithium batteries.
Not sure about a specific item for China?
This page lists Japan Post's rules. The ShipMate GO app checks your actual item against them, asks the one or two questions a conditional rule needs, and tells you the outcome before anything is charged. Sending a parcel from Japan? Booking is free and you pay once, after weighing. Shopping from abroad with Shop for Me? Anything that can't ship is dropped from your order before you pay for the goods.
Common questions
- What can't I ship from Japan to China?
- Japan Post's import rules for China prohibit 23 item types, including Coins, banknotes, currency notes, bearer securities, traveler's checks, and counterfeit or altered currency, certificates, and official seals; Books, publications, pictures, photographs, audiovisual products, and other items containing prohibited content; illegal printed/audiovisual materials and propaganda; documents or files containing state secrets; Narcotics and narcotic paraphernalia; narcotics and psychotropic substances not used for lawful purposes; precursor chemicals not used for lawful purposes; Firearms and firearm parts (including replica firearms); Animals, plants, and their products potentially infected with or carrying pathogens, pests, or other harmful organisms; Food, medicine, and other items originating from areas affected by infectious/contagious disease; food, medicine, and other items that may harm humans or livestock or spread disease; Rare and Endangered Animals and Plants (including Ivory, Tiger Bone, and Rhinoceros Horn); Valuables / Precious Items; and 15 more. On top of these, Japan Post refuses dangerous goods such as perfume, aerosols and loose lithium batteries to every destination.
- Which items can be shipped to China only under conditions?
- 7 item types are allowed only when Japan Post's stated conditions are met — for example Personal use items; Wireless transmission equipment; Plants and plant-based products; Tobacco (Cigarettes); Wine; Other items subject to customs import restrictions; Screws. Whether a specific product qualifies depends on the item, which is what the ShipMate GO app checks before you book.
- Does an item that isn't listed here ship freely to China?
- Not necessarily. This page lists the import rules Japan Post publishes for China; an item that isn't named has no specific rule here, but it may still fall under Japan Post's carrier-wide bans or a general category such as food or medicine. Check the exact item in the ShipMate GO app, which reads these rules live and asks the follow-up questions a conditional rule needs.