What you can't ship from Japan to France

• Fresh citrus fruits, figs, apples, pears, quinces, apricots, peaches (including nectarines), cherries, plums, gooseberries, blackcurrants, or raspberries; or any fresh fruit from a country affected by Comstock mealybug (Pseudaulacaspis pentagona) → Permitted only when accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the plant quarantine authority of the country of origin

Documents: Phytosanitary certificate issued by the plant quarantine authority of the country of origin (差出国の植物防疫所発行の証明書)

• Honeybees: specially authorized as an exception by the French competent authority (Direction de la qualité), and packed in containers that do not endanger staff or obstruct inspection of contents → permitted
• Honey or beeswax: accompanied by a quarantine certificate and satisfactory sanitary inspection results issued by Japanese competent authorities → permitted
• Honey not exceeding 1 kg and not intended for commercial sale → permitted without quarantine certificate and sanitary inspection results
• Non-natural beeswax: accompanied by a certificate confirming exposure to a temperature of 100°C for at least 30 minutes → permitted

Documents: Quarantine certificate issued by Japanese competent authorities (for honey or beeswax); Certificate of satisfactory sanitary inspection results issued by Japanese competent authorities (for honey or beeswax); Special authorization from the French competent authority Direction de la qualité (for honeybees); Certificate confirming exposure to 100°C for at least 30 minutes (for non-natural beeswax)

• Packed in a cloth bag together with swamp soil or moss, and that cloth bag placed inside a wooden box or basket stuffed with hay or straw → permitted

• Phytosanitary certificate is attached → Import permitted (conditional on certificate and any required export inspection / destination import permit)
• No phytosanitary certificate → Import not permitted
• Rice shipped for non-commercial personal use → Prior notification to regional agricultural policy bureau may not be required
• Rice shipped for purposes other than non-commercial personal use → Prior notification to regional agricultural policy bureau (地方農政局) required under the Food Law

Documents: Phytosanitary certificate (植物検疫証明書); Export inspection by plant protection station (植物防疫所) may be required under Japan's Plant Protection Law; Import permit from destination country may be required under Japan's Plant Protection Law; Prior notification to regional agricultural policy bureau (地方農政局) required for rice shipped for commercial or non-personal-use purposes under Japan's Food Law

• Prior authorization obtained from the relevant authorities of the destination country (France) → permitted

• Powdered pure saccharin accompanied by a permit issued by the destination country's Ministry of Public Health → permitted

Documents: Permit issued by the French Ministry of Public Health

• French-language book published in France but printed outside France: cover, back, and title page display the name of the French publisher or distributor, AND the final page states the country of printing and the printer's name and address → permitted
• French-language book both published and printed outside France: cover, back, or title page displays the publisher's name and address → permitted

• Subject to inspection by the relevant authorities of the destination country → May be returned depending on the result of inspection

• Reproductions of books, newspapers, booklets, or printed matter produced by letterpress, lithography, or engraving → Subject to inspection by France's Ministry of the Interior; may be returned to sender depending on inspection result

• anise-flavored alcoholic beverage with alcohol content ≥ 45% ABV → prohibited
• bitters, bittering agents, tar water, gentian bitters, or similar beverages containing ≤ 200g sugar per liter and alcohol content ≥ 30% ABV → prohibited

• Wine manufactured outside France meets the conditions stipulated by the French law of 1 February 1899 → permitted

• Grape juice, grape must, and all grape-based alcoholic beverages meet the conditions established by the competent authorities of the destination country → permitted

• The country of manufacture is clearly stamped in Latin characters at the center of the lid or bottom AND at one additional location (neither location may be a labeled area) → permitted

• Shipper holds a certified copy of an import license or sales license issued by the Agence française de sécurité sanitaire des produits santé (A.F.S.S.A.P.S.) → permitted

Documents: Certified copy of import license or sales license issued by A.F.S.S.A.P.S. (Agence française de sécurité sanitaire des produits santé)

• Approved by the destination country's Ministry of Public Health → permitted

• General medicines accompanied by a permit issued by Agence du medicament, 143–145 Boulevard Anatole France, 93200 Saint Denis → permitted
• Biological products for livestock or veterinary use accompanied by a permit issued by Ministère chargé de l'Agriculture, Direction générale de l'Alimentation, 175 rue du chevaleret, 75013 Paris → permitted
• Other biological products accompanied by a permit issued by Ministère chargé de la santé et Direction Générale de la Santé, 1 Place de Fontenay, 75007 Paris → permitted

Documents: Permit issued by the relevant French authority (Agence du medicament for general medicines; Ministère chargé de l'Agriculture / Direction générale de l'Alimentation for biological veterinary/livestock products; Ministère chargé de la santé / Direction Générale de la Santé for other biological products)

• An orange label with black ink clearly stating the sender's and recipient's names and addresses, and the name and quantity of the contents, is affixed to the container or outer packaging in a manner that cannot be easily removed. → permitted (labelling requirement)
• A separate orange band printed clearly with the word 'Poison' in black ink is wrapped around the outer packaging of the container. → permitted (banding requirement)
• An import permit from the French Ministry of Social Affairs is attached to the shipment. → permitted (documentation requirement)
• The customs clearance certificate is signed, certified by the municipal or police authority at the destination, and returned to the customs office within one month. → permitted (post-delivery customs return requirement)

Documents: Import permit from the French Ministry of Social Affairs (Ministère des Affaires Sociales); Customs clearance certificate (通関免状), signed and certified by the municipal or police authority at the destination, to be returned to the customs office within one month

• Import declaration pre-approved by the Banque de France is sent to French customs authorities → permitted
• Item contains only minimal gold (e.g., gold-plated products, gold and silver braiding) OR is personal or non-personal jewelry with total weight not exceeding 500 grams → permitted without Banque de France pre-approval

Documents: Import declaration pre-approved by the Banque de France (to be sent to French customs authorities)

• Import licence issued by Direction générale des douanes based on approval from Ministère d'État chargé de la défense nationale, Ministère des affaires étrangères, and Ministère de l'intérieur is attached to the shipment → permitted

Documents: Import licence issued by Direction générale des douanes (Customs Directorate-General), granted on the basis of approval from the Ministry of National Defence (Ministère d'État chargé de la défense nationale), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministère des affaires étrangères), and the Ministry of the Interior (Ministère de l'intérieur)

• Goods are clearly intended for the personal consumption of the recipient → Origin marking requirement does not apply
• Goods are not clearly intended for the personal consumption of the recipient → Must bear a clearly legible, indelible mark of origin in Latin characters

• The urn is placed in a metal box tightly closed with screws or bolts, and that metal box is enclosed in a wooden box with walls no less than 1 centimetre thick → permitted

• Permission obtained from the Service des instruments de mesure (French measuring instruments authority) → permitted

• Item is subject to inspection upon arrival in France → May be returned to sender depending on inspection result

• Addressed to the relevant authorities of the destination country (France) → permitted