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International Mail

Nonmailable Articles in International Mail

There are items that cannot be sent throughout the world, or cannot be sent depending on the destination country, as international mail. Please be sure to check before sending items.

Nonmailable Articles in International Mail (Universal standard)

There are items that cannot be sent via international mail according to laws and treaties.
For example, the items given below cannot be sent as an international mail throughout the world.
When sending alcoholic beverages via international mail, conditions for mail items are applied.
As for lithium batteries sent via international mail, these conditions are applied.
(Please note that the conditions differ from those applied when sending Yu-Pack for both cases.)

Spray
Perfume
Fireworks / Firecrackers
Sun Block
Nail Polish
Hair Tonic
Alcoholic Beverages
Electronic Cigarettes
Power Banks / Portable Battery Charger

Please be sure that items that cannot be sent are not included in the mail item you are sending.
The contents of mail items are checked through X-ray inspection after being accepted. When there is any item that cannot be sent via international mail included, the mail item may be sent back before being sent abroad.

Other examples of prohibited mail items
Category Examples of items that cannot be sent
Examples of Nonmailable Articles Gunpowers:Fireworks, firecrackers, ammunitions
Flammable liquids:Lighter fuel, paint
Compressed gasses:Fire extinguishers, Air tank for diving, dust removers (spray type), portable condensed oxygen, helium gas, gas stove burners for camping, gas for portable stoves, gas for lighters
Flammable materials:Matches, lighters
Oxidizers:Bleach, peroxidative agents, oxygen generators for personal use
Toxic and infectious substances:Chloroform, insecticide transpirators (heat type)
Corrosive substances:Mercury, batteries
Radioactive substances:Plutonium, radium, uranium, caesium
Narcotics Narcotics and psychotropic substances
Live animals Live animals
Pornographic materials Pornographic or immoral materials
Valuables

Valuable goods cannot be sent by EMS. Valuable goods can be sent as parcels and ordinary mail items other than EMS only as registered or insured items according to the mail item category. However, there are cases where the item cannot be sent to certain countries or an upper limit on the value is set. Please refer to the country/regional information (Japanese Version Only) for details. The following items fall under valuable goods.

  • Coins, Banknotes, Paper money
  • Securities of any kind payable to the bearer, traveler's checks
  • Processed or unprocessed platinum, gold or silver, precious stones and other valuables

Dangerous goods for air transportation

Items covered by the Dangerous Goods Regulations by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) (dangerous goods for air transportation) cannot be sent via international mail, regardless of the types of mail items or means of transportation. (Please note that the items cannot be accepted even as sea mail.)

What are dangerous goods for air transportation

Dangerous goods for air transportation are defined by the Civil Aeronautics Act as those which may threaten the safe operation of aircraft, endanger aircraft or airport facilities, or harm the health of passengers, flight crew, or airport employees.

Major examples of dangerous goods for air transportation.
Explosives
Compressed Gases
Flammable Liquids
Flammables Substances
Oxidizing Substances
Toxic and infectious substances
Radioactive Material
Corrosives
Miscellaneous Dangerous Goods
  • Relevant Laws and Regulations(Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism homepage
  • Note 1 & 2: Infectious agents and radioactive material are excl uded if they are sent in accordance with the provisions of the International Mail Terms and Conditions.
  • Note 3: Lithium batteries installed inside equipment (limited t o those meeting certain criteria) can be posted as international mail. (This service is not available to certain countries and territories.)

Regarding Lithium Batteries (PDF272kB)

About erasion of the indication such as "the dangerous materials labels" of the mail decoration (PDF517kB) (Japanese Version Only)

Disposable pocket warmer

Disposable pocket warmers of certain sellers may not be sent.

List of manufacturers of disposable body warmers that can be sent by international mail

Details of each prohibited and dangerous good

For details, please consult the following:

  • Articles Prohibited under the Universal Postal Convention and Other Such RegulationsMore
  • Articles Prohibited to be Mailed by Postal LawMore
  • Hazardous Materials Prohibited in International Mail
  1. Explosives
  2. Gases
  3. Flammable Liquids
  4. Flammable solids, pyrophoric materials, materials that generate flammable gas upon contact with water
  5. Oxidizers and Organic Peroxide
  6. Poisonous or Contagious Substances
  7. Radioactive Substances
  8. Corrosive Substances
  9. Other harmful substances and goods that contain environmental toxins

Application form for international mail

You must fill in and submit an international mail application form when sending international mail. Please use this form.

Download the application form for international mail (PDF2.12MB)

After checking the items that cannot be sent throughout the world...

After checking the rate and prohibited goods...

Handwritten labels can no longer be used for sending goods.