TOKYO, Aug. 1, 2018 – FedEx Express (FedEx), the world’s largest express transportation company and a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX), announced that it has centralized all customs declarations in the Tokyo Customs head office for shipments entering and leaving Japan through all airports where the company operates (Narita International Airport and Kansai International Airport). The change is made possible by a new Customs & Tariff Bureau policy that allows for the liberalization of customs declaration offices.
Leveraging the policy is expected to contribute to more flexible trade by enabling AEOs (Authorized Economic Operators) to improve office efficiency and cut costs.*1 Previously, declarations for import/export goods had to be made, in principle, at the designated Customs Office where the goods were physically stored. After the policy went into effect on October 2017, AEOs such as FedEx can make declarations to the Customs Office of their choosing.
FedEx has been part of Japan’s AEO certification program since February 2012, when FedEx Shinsuna bonded warehouse, Narita bonded warehouse, and a portion of its Kansai bonded warehouse received Authorized Warehouse Operator certifications. In June 2013, five additional FedEx offices—Narita Station, Narita International Airport Station, Kansai Station, Kansai International Airport Station, and Shinsuna Station—were certified as authorized customs brokers under the AEO program.
“FedEx respects the efforts made by the Customs & Tariff Bureau of the Ministry of Finance, the Japan Customs Brokers Association, as well as other industry organizations and experts to respond to today’s globalized economy and the changing international logistics industry,” said Masamichi Ujiie, regional vice president, FedEx Express North Pacific. “The customs clearance process is important not only for FedEx and our customers but also for global and advanced supply chains. For many years, we have been driving the systemization and digitization of these processes, and we are constantly looking at ways to streamline customs clearance operations for our customers, which includes leveraging this liberalization.”
*1 Japan Custom http://www.customs.go.jp/zeikan/seido/jiyuka.html