Export to Japan

Japan pays well but expects zero defects, exact packing and long-term reliability. It buys Indian shrimp, chemicals, auto parts, machinery, aluminium, garments, sesame and spices. Building trust takes time — samples, factory visits and small trial orders come first.

What it buys from India

• Organic chemicals, petroleum products and aluminium
• Machinery, auto parts and electrical goods
• Shrimp and other marine products
• Garments, sesame, spices and medicines

Import rules on their side

• Every food import must be notified to an MHLW quarantine station under the Food Sanitation Act; residues are checked against Japan's "positive list" for pesticides.
• Fresh fruit needs plant-quarantine clearance; Indian mangoes, for example, must be given vapour heat treatment under an agreed protocol.
• Labels must be in Japanese. Products sold as organic need JAS organic certification.

Practical tips

• FOODEX Japan (Tokyo) is the main food show; JETRO and the Indian Embassy help with buyer meetings.
• Translate your catalogue and specifications into Japanese and answer every question in detail.
• Japanese firms often buy through trading houses (sogo shosha); a first order through one of them is a good entry route.