Is Amazon Available in Japan in 2023? Yes, and Here‘s What Sellers Should Know

The short answer is – yes, Amazon Japan is fully up and running in 2023! But as an experienced ecommerce seller, I know that successfully tapping into international markets on Amazon requires more than just a localized site.

In this comprehensive 2800+ word guide, I‘ll share everything you need to know about selling to and shipping within Japan via Amazon as we head into the new year. Whether you are a seller looking to expand internationally or a consumer hoping to shop on Amazon Japan, you‘ll learn:

As an experienced multichannel Amazon seller specializing in brand management and ecommerce analytics, I‘ve helped countless businesses expand internationally on Amazon. This guide will leverage my expertise to help you successfully navigate the Japanese marketplace. Let‘s get started!

The Rapid Growth of Amazon Japan Since 2000

Amazon first entered the Japanese market back in 2000 with the launch of their Amazon.co.jp localized site. Japan quickly became Amazon‘s largest export country even pre-localization. By 2000, there were already:

• 193,000+ active Japanese Amazon customers
• Over $34 million in annual Japan export sales

To tap into this demand, Amazon tailored their new Japanese site to local needs and preferences.

Chart showing Amazon Japan‘s GMS growth since 2005. (Source: e-Commerce DB)

This strategic move paid off. Since launching in 2000, Amazon Japan has achieved:

• 45 million+ products available, rivaling the US selection
• $19 billion in Gross Merchandise Sales as of 2021
• 8.5% market share of Japan‘s ecommerce industry
• 7th largest ecommerce site in Japan overall

As you can see, Amazon Japan is thriving as one of Amazon‘s most mature international marketplaces. Japan remains a top priority for Amazon‘s global expansion efforts to this day.

So for sellers looking to extend their reach beyond the US, Amazon Japan deserves your attention in 2023 and beyond!

How the Amazon Japan Website Works for Sellers

Now that you know Amazon Japan is alive and kicking, let‘s look at how the site works if you want to sell products there.

Language

By default, Amazon Japan displays all text in Japanese. Luckily, sellers can easily switch the interface to English using the language selector.

As a seller, I recommend keeping it in Japanese since that‘s what your customers will see. But toggling to English can help if you need to navigate something complex and text-heavy like account settings.

Location Settings

Amazon also detects your location and displays relevant versions of the site.

If you‘re signed into your Amazon seller account while traveling abroad, you may suddenly see product listings change to that country‘s locale.

To manage your selling settings, always explicitly select Amazon Japan as your site rather than relying on auto-detection. This prevents any confusing changes.

Pricing

One key difference – prices on Amazon Japan are listed in Japanese yen (¥) not US dollars.

Your existing product listings won‘t convert automatically. As a seller, you‘ll need to re-price items appropriately for the Japanese market when expanding there.

Payments

Your US bank account can‘t receive payouts from Amazon Japan sales. You‘ll need to provide local Japanese banking details to get paid.

This means navigating international currency conversion and wire transfer fees. Factor these costs into your Japanese pricing strategy.

Fulfillment

You can ship orders yourself or use Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) to stock your inventory in Japan warehouses.

FBA ensures quick Prime delivery but has higher fees than in the US. Carefully evaluate if it makes sense for your Japanese expansion.

Returns

One risk of selling internationally is higher return rates. Japan has an above average return rate around 25-30%.

Optimize listings to show exactly what customers will receive. Accurate descriptions and photos reduce unwanted returns.

Now that you know how the Amazon Japan seller experience differs, let‘s talk about limitations for Prime shipping.

Why Amazon Prime Shipping is Limited in Japan

As an Amazon seller, you know reliable and fast shipping is critically important, especially for Prime members.

Unfortunately, one downside of Amazon Japan is that Prime shipping has many restrictions:

• No international Prime – There are no expedited shipping options for Prime orders to other countries. All international orders ship at standard speeds.

• Remote island exclusions – Prime shipping excludes a number of small, remote Japanese islands. Prime members in these regions receive standard 3-7 day delivery rather than expedited.

• Only major cities eligible – Prime 2-day shipping primarily limited to just Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya metro areas. Large chunks of rural Japan are ineligible.

• Lower Prime adoption – Only an estimated 8-12% of the Japanese population has Amazon Prime compared to over 200 million Prime members in the US. Lower Prime adoption limits the upside of Prime shipping.

This can be incredibly frustrating for Japanese Prime members expecting the same benefits as the US. Just look at some of these reviews:

"I live in Okinawa and Prime is useless here. No expedited shipping and most items won‘t even ship. Prime shouldn‘t advertise as a national service."

"I paid for Prime but my orders always take 4-5 days because I‘m in Hokkaido. False advertising!"

"Prime shipping is only fast if you live in Tokyo. Total waste of money for the rest of us in Japan."

As a seller, you‘ll need to set proper expectations around shipping speeds in Japan. Be upfront if Prime won‘t provide expedited delivery based on the buyer‘s location.

This helps reduce negative reviews. Make it easy for Japanese customers to see your shipping policies and delivery estimates before ordering.

Now let‘s look at another important shipping program – Amazon Global.

How to Use Amazon Global Shipping in Japan

One major benefit Amazon Japan offers international sellers is the Amazon Global Program.

This optional program allows you to sell products on Amazon Japan that ship directly from your US warehouses to customers worldwide.

As a seller, you simply opt eligible ASINs into Global Shipping when creating or updating your listings in Seller Central.

Once active, your items become available for purchase to millions of Amazon Japan customers, even though you don‘t keep local inventory there.

Amazon handles the international shipping and import process – you just fulfill orders from your regular US warehouses.

Pros of Amazon Global Shipping:

• Expanded reach – Gain access to Japanese customers without needing to establish local operations there.

• Simplified international shipping – Amazon coordinates customs clearance and import requirements so you don‘t have to.

• Unified order processing – Manage all your Japan and US orders together in one Seller Central account rather than a separate Japanese account.

Cons of Amazon Global Shipping:

• Higher fees – Amazon charges an extra fee for international shipping and import processes. This cuts into your margins.

• Longer delivery times – Orders shipped directly from the US to Japan take 1-2 weeks in transit vs. 2 days from within Japan. Some customers may not wait that long.

• Increased returns – International return rates are higher. You‘ll be responsible for return shipping costs back to the US.

Overall, Global Shipping can be a huge help for small to medium US sellers looking to expand sales in Japan without the overhead of managing a Japanese entity and local warehouse.

Just be aware of the logistical challenges and added costs. Make sure to price items sufficiently higher to account for fees and remain profitable.

Next, let‘s look at which products and categories typically sell best in Japan.

Top Products and Categories to Sell on Amazon Japan

Succeeding on Amazon Japan requires carefully selecting which of your products to offer.

You need to tailor your inventory to Japanese consumer tastes and demands.

Here are some of the most popular and lucrative Japanese product categories that are worth focusing on:

Japanese Pop Culture Items

Japan has a booming market for music, anime, manga, and toys. Top sellers include:

• Anime figurines and plushies of popular shows like Pokémon, Dragonball Z, Sailor Moon
• CDs and DVDs of JPop artists and dramas
• Pokémon cards and other Japanese collectibles

Japanese Snacks/Candy

Japanese consumers love unique local flavors. Some best-sellers include:

• Japanese KitKat flavors – matcha, wasabi, miso, sakura
• Pocky chocolate sticks
• Kasugai gummies
• Traditional mochi, senbei, and hi-chew

Beauty and Skincare

"J-beauty" products with innovative ingredients and cute packaging are wildly popular, for example:

• SK-II sheet masks and toners
• Hada Labo lotions
• Shiseido sunscreen and cleansers
• Bihadashojo anti-aging creams

Electronics

Japan has an entire "electric town" in Tokyo. Top electronics include:

• Nintendo Switch consoles and games
• Sony headphones and cameras
• Seiko watches
• Canon printers
• Robots and gadgets

Toys and Hobbies

The Japanese toy market is massive. Bestsellers include:

• Gundam models
• Tomica die-cast cars and trucks
• Takara Tomy action figures and dolls
• Bandai hobby kits and collectibles

Focus on sourcing authentic, popular products in these categories to appeal to what Japanese shoppers want most.

Now let‘s wrap things up with some expert tips for selling successfully in Japan.

Expert Tips for Selling to Japan on Amazon

As an experienced international Amazon seller, I‘ve learned a few key lessons about prospering on Amazon Japan:

• Master mobile details – Over 75% of shoppers in Japan browse and buy on mobile. Optimize listings for small screens and fast loading.

• Provide size charts – List exact Japanese clothing sizes rather than standard US/EU charts. Incorrect fits are the #1 reason for apparel returns.

• Boost brand awareness – Few Western brands have strong name recognition. Invest in promotions to build trust and familiarity in your niche.

• Highlight product origin – Japanese customers prefer buying domestic goods. If you manufacture in Japan, emphasize it.

• Use EBC data – The Japanese site provides "EBC" data on commission rates, competitions levels, and projected sales for products. Leverage these unique insights when evaluating new items to sell and set prices.

• Offer promotions – New customer coupons and Prime-exclusive discounts are great ways to incentivize first-time Japanese shoppers to try your brand.

• Provide Japanese support – Have native Japanese speakers on staff to manage customer inquiries, feedback and returns for your Amazon Japan business.

Selling internationally always brings unique complexities. But with the right prep work around localization, marketing, and logistics, you can find great success on Amazon Japan.

I hope this detailed overview helps you understand everything needed to take advantage of this lucrative overseas ecommerce opportunity in 2023! Let me know if you have any other questions.