Japanese Biscuits under the New Landscape of China-Japan Food Tradevalue

In recent years,as the RCEP agreement has been deepened and domestic consumption upgraded,Japanese biscuits—promoted as “l(fā)ow-sugar” and “crafted by artisans”—have kept gaining ground in China.According to 2023 data from the General Administration of Customs of China,Japan’s food imports to China rose 12.7 % year-on-year,with bakery products accounting for over 25 %.It should be noted,however,that Japan’s Ministry of Health,Labour and Welfare (MHLW) enforces a “Positive List System” for food exported to China,while Chinese Customs has also tightened requirements on “registration of overseas food manufacturers” (Announcement No.141) and “importer filing,” significantly raising the bar for trade compliance.Against this backdrop,professionalBy managing the full life-cycle of documents,controlling logistics nodes,and anticipating risks,the agent becomes the critical enabler for companies to break through bottlenecks in customs-clearance efficiency and cost.

Core Competencies of Import Agency: Meticulous Documentation Processing and Regulatory Compliance

The documentation system for Japanese biscuit imports is characterized by “multi-dimensionality and strong interdependence”; the document-processing capability of the agency enterprise directly determines customs-clearance timeliness and cost.Core documents include:

• BasicCommercialDocuments:Verifythatthecommercialinvoicevaluematchesthecontract,thatthegrossweight/netweight/numberofpackagesonthepackinglistareconsistent,andthatthevesselnameandvoyageonthebilloflading(B/L)correspondtotheactualshipment.
• Officialcertificationdocuments:A"CertificateofEligibility"issuedbytheJapanesegovernmentmustbeprovided.Book(FORMEisrequiredwhentheRCEPpreferentialtariffisapplicable),theCertificateofSanitationissuedbytheMinistryofHealth,LabourandWelfare,andtheComponentAnalysisSheetcertifiedbyJapan’sMinistryofAgriculture,ForestryandFisheries(MAFF)(whichmustindicatethetypesandcontentsofadditives);
• SpecialDeclarationDocument:Forbiscuitscontainingingredientssuchasdairyandnuts,anAllergenDeclarationmustbeadded;ifirradiationtreatmentisinvolved,anIrradiationTreatmentCertificateisrequired.

The professional value of the agency enterprise is reflected in the following aspects: ① Pre-audit: By pre-verifying the document logic based on the HS code (suggested classification as 1905.3100 or 1905.3200),it helps avoid common issues such as "ingredient lists not matching the health certificate additives" and "origin certificate certification agencies not meeting requirements".② Translation and proofreading: Accurately converting Japanese documents into Chinese-English versions that comply with Chinese customs requirements.Particularly,the term "shelf life" needs to be standardized as "expiration date".③ Dynamic correction: During customs review,the agency can quickly respond to verification requirements such as "price inquiries" and "ingredient traceability",and complete document corrections by providing supporting materials like production records and payment receipts.

Logistics Management: End-to-End Risk Control from Port of Loading to Final Destination

Japanese biscuits,being moisture-sensitive and fragile food products,require strict control over “transport conditions,” “time-efficiency,” and “cargo-rights protection” throughout the logistics chain.The logistics service advantages of an agency enterprise are reflected in:

• SelectionofTransportationMode:Basedoncargovolume(LCLisrecommendedforshipmentsunder500kg,FCLforthoseover5tons)andshelflife(short-shelf-lifeproductsshouldbegivenpriorityto,selectconventionalproductsClippers)andcost(oceanfreightisroughly1/5ofairfreight).Forexample,fromKobePorttoShanghaiYangshanPort,afastoceanservicetakesabout3–5days,whichsuitstheshippingneedsofcookieswithasix-monthshelflife;
• TemperatureControlandPackaging:Forcream-andchocolate-filledsandwichbiscuits,coordinatewiththeshippinglinetoprovideeithera“drycontainer+thermalblanket”ora“reefercontainersetat10–15°C,”andusemoisture-proofpaperplusinflatableaircushionsduringloadingtocuttransportlosses;
• Controlofgoodsownership:Byadoptingeitherthe“TelexRelease”or“SeaWaybill”model,combinedwiththepaymenttermof30%T/Tinadvanceplus70%againstarrival,exporters’collectionsecurityisensuredwhileimportersarespareddemurragecausedbydocumentdelays(approx.USD150perdayper20GP).

Special reminder: For re-export business involving Russia,the agent company can go through VTB Bank (Vneshtorgbank).Its advantages are: ① it supports direct ruble-renminbi settlement,avoiding the risk of USD exchange-rate fluctuations; ② the cross-border payment channel is stable and can resolve the restrictions some banks face on Russia-related business; ③ the handling-fee rate is 1–2 percentage points lower than that of conventional banks,reducing financial costs.

Customer Notice: Certification Requirements and the Scope of Agency Services

Importing Japanese biscuits into China requires compliance with mandatory certification requirements; however,our company does not directly provide certification services.Key milestones are hereby specified:

• Registrationofoverseasproductionenterprises:Exportersmustcompleteregistrationthroughthe“RegistrationSystemforOverseasFoodProductionEnterprises”oftheGeneralAdministrationofCustomsofChina(enterprisenumberformat:JPN+14digits);thisisaprerequisiteforcustomsclearance.
• Importerregistration:Importingenterprisesmustcompleteregistrationthroughthe“SingleWindow”andobtaina10-digitregistrationnumber(intheformatofa4-digitcustomsdistrictcodefollowedbya6-digitserialnumber);
• Labelreview:Pre-packagedbiscuitsmustcomplywithGB7718-2011"GeneralRulesfortheLabelingofPre-packagedFoods."Itisrecommendedtocommissionathird-partytestingagencytocompletelabelpre-audit30daysinadvancetoavoidportdetentioncausedbypost-arrivalrectification.

Full-Process Agency Service: Closed-Loop Management from Consultation to Feedback

Our import agency service strictly follows a “9-step standardized process,” ensuring that every stage is traceable and controllable:

• NeedsAssessment:Clarifyproductcomposition(irradiated/GMOornot),packagingspecifications(originalcarton/labelingornot),customsclearanceport(Shanghai,Guangzhou,Tianjin,etc.),andanyspecialrequirements(e.g.cold-chaindelivery)throughthe"ImportDemandSurveyForm";
• ContractReview:Focusonverifyingthe"qualityclause"(e.g."subjecttotheinspectionresultsattheportofarrival"),the"risktransferpoint"(FOBattheportofshipmentorCIFattheportofdestination),andthe"disputeresolutionclause"(itisrecommendedtochoosetheChinaInternationalEconomicandTradeArbitrationCommission);
• PaymentArrangement:RecommendT/T(30%inadvance)orL/C(atsight)basedonthecustomer’screditrating.)orD/P(DocumentsagainstPayment),andmitigatepoliticalriskbytakingoutinsurancewithSinosure;
• Productionmonitoringandpacking:Ifrequestedbythecustomer,athird-partyinspectionagency(suchasSGS)maybecommissionedtocarryouta"Pre-ShipmentInspection(PSI)",focusingonverifyingthatproductspecificationsareconsistentwiththecontract;
• LogisticsTracking:Real-timecargotrackingviatheTMS;submitthe“SingleWindow”pre-declarationthreedaysbeforearrivaltocutinspectionrates;
• CustomsClearance:Cooperatewithcustomstocomplete“pricereview”and“inspection”(probability≈5–8%);ifsamplingtests(e.g.microbiologicalindicators)areinvolved,wecancoordinatewiththelaboratorytoexpeditetesting(standard7–10workingdays);
• DomesticDistribution:Arrange“door-to-door”deliveryaccordingtocustomerneeds,partnerwithJDLogisticsandSFColdChain,andensuretemperature-controlled“l(fā)ast-mile”service(adjustable0–25°C);
• QualityRetrospective:Keeponfileformorethantwoyearsdocumentssuchasthe“customsdeclaration,”“healthcertificate,”and“testreport,”andcooperatewithmarket-regulationauthoritiesintraceabilityinspections;
• DataFeedback:Providethe"ImportCostAnalysisReport"(includingtheproportionofcustomsduties,VAT,andlogisticsfees)andthe"TradeComplianceAssessmentForm"tohelpclientsoptimizetheirnextimportplan.

Conclusion: Professional agents are the efficiency engine for importing Japanese biscuits.

Under the new “dual-circulation” development paradigm,Japanese biscuit imports face both a growing consumer market and the twin challenges of compliance and timeliness.A professional foreign-trade agent,through meticulous document management,end-to-end logistics risk control,and standardized process execution,not only helps companies avoid common pitfalls such as “return due to document discrepancies,” “demurrage exceeding cargo value,” and “l(fā)abel-rectification delays,” but also leverages accumulated trade data and policy insights to deliver long-term value of “cost optimization + efficiency enhancement.” Choose a partner with 20 yearsAn experienced agent who is well-versed in Sino-Japanese trade regulations is the crucial first step for any company planning to enter the Japanese biscuit import business.