How to export alcoholic beverages to Japan

The path in 5 steps

• 1. Find an importing partner in Japan — they are the ones who need the liquor sales license (shurui hanbaigyō menkyo) and who answer legally for the product in Japan.
• 2. Send samples and the technical dossier: composition, additives, production process and lab analyses.
• 3. The importer files the food import notification (Food Sanitation Act) with the quarantine station at the port of entry.
• 4. Prepare the Japanese back label before shipping — see section below.
• 5. Shipment, customs clearance, duties and taxes — and the product is on the market.

Brazil side: what you need in order

• Establishment and product registered with MAPA (Ministry of Agriculture), with analysis certificates and, when required, a free sale certificate.
• Export authorization (Radar/Siscomex) and correct NCM classification (chapter 22).
• Recent lab analyses: Japan has rejected beverages for excess methanol and unauthorized preservatives — test before shipping.
• Materials in English (or Japanese): tech sheet, winery presentation and brand story matter a lot in negotiations.

Japan side: licenses and inspection

Whoever sells alcohol in Japan needs a liquor sales license issued by the local tax office — one per point of sale. This obligation falls on the Japanese importer/distributor, not the Brazilian producer; that is why choosing the right partner is the project's most important decision.

On arrival, every beverage goes through the food import notification, with additives and preservatives checked against Japanese standards — which differ from Brazilian ones. Preservatives common in Brazil may be banned or have lower limits in Japan.

Taxes and tariffs

• Liquor tax (shuzei): wines and sparklings pay ¥100 per liter (fruit wine category).
• Import tariff: with no bilateral agreement, WTO rates apply — sparkling wines have a specific per-liter rate; still wines a mixed rate. Confirm the current rate for your HS code in Japan's customs tariff before pricing.
• Japanese consumption tax: 10% on CIF value + tariff + liquor tax.
• Tip: the Mercosur–Japan agreement under negotiation may reduce these tariffs — follow our news section.

Mandatory labeling in Japan

• Importer's name and address
• Container volume and beverage category
• Alcohol content
• Food additives used (e.g., sulfites)
• Warning that drinking under age 20 is prohibited
• Wines: since 2018 the label must state "imported wine" and the country of origin

Tips from those who already do it

Start small: one consolidated pallet with commercial samples costs little and tests real acceptance. Brazilian sparklings — such as those from Serra Gaúcha — have won international awards, and that story opens doors in Japanese retail.

Translate the story, not just the label: Japanese consumers buy origin, family and terroir. A QR code on the back label leading to a Japanese-language page makes a real difference on the shelf.