I. Current situation and policy background of Japanese biscuit import trade

In recent years, China's imported food market has continued to expand. In 2023, the import value of baked goods (including cookies) increased by 12% year-on-year. Among them, Japanese cookies, with their advantages of "high quality and strong brand", account for more than 20% of the market share in China. This growth is attributed to the fact that after the RCEP agreement came into effect, more than 90% of the trade in goods between China and Japan has gradually achieved zero tariffs. Taking HS code 1905.3100 (cookies, including waffle cookies and communion wafers) as an example, Japanese-origin products can enter the Chinese market with valid certificates.Origin CertificateThey can enjoy further concessions under the Most-Favored-Nation tariff rate (15%), with some product categories having their tariffs reduced to 5%.

However, it should be noted that after the nuclear wastewater discharge incident in Japan in 2023, China's customs authorities have strengthened the inspection and quarantine of Japanese food products, requiring importers to provide more detailed reports on the detection of radioactive substances. The customs clearance process may be extended by 3-5 working days. In addition, Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare strictly regulates exported food products, requiring companies to comply with the "Food Hygiene Law" and obtain an official health certificate (Certificate of Health) before exportation. This certificate is one of the core documents verified by Chinese customs authorities.

II.Import customs declarationDocumentation Processing in Core Processes: Key Value of Professional Agents

The document system for importing Japanese cookies can be divided into three categories: "basic commercial documents", "official compliance documents", and "domestic filing documents". The accuracy of each type of document directly affects the efficiency of customs clearance.

1. Basic commercial documents: direct proof of the authenticity of trade transactions
It includes the Commercial Invoice, Packing List, and Bill of Lading. The agent needs to carefully review the "transaction method" in the invoice (for example, CIF Shanghai must include the freight and insurance premiums; FOB Tokyo requires the client to bear the transportation costs themselves), ensuring that it complies with the contract terms.?L/C?The contract terms must be consistent; the packing list must indicate the net weight, gross weight, and cookie specifications per box (e.g., 100g/box × 20 boxes/box), to avoid discrepancies with the actual goods that may lead to customs inspections; the bill of lading must verify the information of the "notifying party" and the "consignee". If it is a telex release bill of lading, it is necessary to confirm the telex release fee and process with the shipping company in advance.

2. Official Compliant Documents: The "Passport" to Break Through Regulatory Barriers

• Japanese Certificate of Origin: You can choose between FORM E (RCEP Certificate of Origin) or an officially issued Certificate of Origin from Japan (suitable for small-scale trade). The agent needs to verify the "origin qualification" - for example, if the proportion of imported wheat in the biscuit raw materials exceeds 40%, it may not be eligible for tariff preferences.
• Health Certificate: Issued by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare or its authorized agencies, it must state that "the product complies with the Japanese Food Sanitation Law and does not use food additives prohibited in China (such as benzoic acid)", and the validity period shall not exceed 6 months.
• Ingredients/Nutrition Labels: A Japanese original label and a Chinese translation must be provided. The translation must comply with GB 7718-2011 "General Guidelines for the Labeling of Prepackaged Foods" (e.g., mandatory labeling of "production date", "shelf life", and "storage conditions"). The agent can assist in reviewing the label's compliance, but the label registration must be completed by the client themselves.

3. Domestic filing documents: a prerequisite for import access
According to the requirements of the General Administration of Customs, Japanese biscuit manufacturers need to complete the "Registration of Overseas Food Manufacturers for Import" at the GACC (General Administration of Customs of China), and importers need to verify in advance whether the manufacturing enterprises are on the registration list (which can be verified through the "Registration Information Inquiry Platform for Overseas Food Manufacturers for Import"). This registration is applied for by overseas enterprises or their domestic agents. The agents can assist in providing the "translated documents of enterprise qualifications" required for registration, but they do not directly handle the registration process.

III. Logistics Management: A Comprehensive Optimization Strategy for the Entire Supply Chain from Japan to China

Japanese biscuits are classified as "easy to get damp and crushed" goods, so the logistics solution needs to balance cost and cargo safety. The logistics coordination capabilities of professional agents are reflected in the following aspects:

1. Choice of transportation mode:Maritime transportMainly, we should flexibly meet the requirements of timeliness

• Full Container Load (FCL): Suitable for a single import volume of ≥15 tons (about one 20-foot container). The advantage is that the "door-to-door" transportation is controllable, avoiding the loss of cargo from the unpacking of LCL containers. The ocean freight fee is about US$300-500/20GP (Tokyo-Shanghai).
• LCL (Less than Container Load): Suitable for small-scale imports (5-15 tons), but you need to pay attention to the "unboxing fee" at the destination port (about 200-300 yuan/cubic meter), and you need to confirm with the shipping company that the goods will not be mixed with liquids or chemical products.
• Air freight: This applies only to urgent orders (such as new product launches). The shipping fee is approximately 8-12 yuan per kilogram (from Tokyo to Shanghai), but additional fees, including "distribution fees" and "storage fees" (charged for storage at the airport for more than 48 hours), will be charged separately.

2. Key node control: Reduce the risk of goods being detained at the port

• Before loading the ship: The agent needs to confirm that the "shipping marks" on the goods are consistent with the bill of lading to avoid customs clearance problems at the destination port. At the same time, the agent should supervise the packing process, requiring the use of moisture-proof paper and pallet fixing, and ensuring that the stacking height of biscuits is no more than 5 layers (to prevent crushing).
• After arriving at the port: Submit the "Import Goods Declaration Form" to the customs via the Single Window System three days in advance, and simultaneously prepare the "Inspection Entrusted Letter" and the "Import Food Consignee Registration" (which requires completing the enterprise registration at the customs in advance). Ensure that the goods are declared upon arrival to avoid incurring demurrage charges (about 500-800 yuan/day/20GP).
• Inspection Process: If the customs conducts random inspections (with a probability of about 10-15%), the agent needs to assist in opening the boxes, provide the "Goods List", and cooperate with the sampling process (about 500g will be sent to the laboratory for testing). The testing items include microorganisms (such as total colony count), additives (such as saccharin), and radioactive substances. The testing period is 5-7 working days.

IV. Expansion of Business with Russia: VTBConvert foreign exchange into RMBSettlement

Some enterprises import Japanese cookies and then resell them to Russia, or transfer them through Russian ports (such as Vladivostok). In this case, cross-border foreign exchange settlement needs to consider "efficiency and compliance".Zhong Shen International Trade Co., Ltd.With our experience in Russian trade, we can assist clients in conducting transactions through VTB Bank (Russia).foreign tradeBank) to complete settlement, advantages include:

1. Circumvent SWIFT restrictions and improve the efficiency of fund settlement
VTB Bank has established correspondent banking relationships with major Chinese banks (such as ICBC and BOC), adopting direct "RMB-Ruble" settlement to avoid the delays caused by the SWIFT system, and the arrival time can be shortened to 2-3 working days (compared with 5-7 days for traditional USD settlement).

2. Lock in the exchange rate to reduce the risk of volatility
The agent can assist clients in signing a "forward exchange settlement agreement" with VTB Bank to lock in the RMB-ruble exchange rate in advance (for example, agreeing to settle at a rate of 1:11.5 after 60 days), thereby avoiding profit losses due to exchange rate fluctuations (the fluctuation range of the ruble against the RMB exceeded 15% in 2023).

3. Match the documents to ensure compliance
For VTB foreign exchange settlement, it is necessary to provide four consistent documents: "contract, invoice, customs declaration form, and bill of lading". The agent can assist in reviewing the logical consistency of the documents (e.g., ensuring that the invoice amount matches the "total price" on the customs declaration form), to avoid the bank rejecting the payment due to "inconsistent documents".

5. Full-process agency services: A value-added closed loop from risk control to efficiency improvement

The core value of professional foreign trade agents lies in "reducing uncertainties through experience".

• Preliminary Consultation: According to the client's import volume (e.g., 5 tons for the first import vs 50 tons/month for long-term cooperation), we design a "full container + LCL combination" or a "monthly fixed sailing schedule" solution to balance cost and delivery time.
• Middle-term execution: Through the "Document Pre-Review System", all documents are checked three days in advance (if the health certificate is found to be expired, the Japanese side can be promptly requested to reissue it), thereby reducing the customs clearance time from the industry average of 7 days to 3-5 days.
• Post-event support: We provide a "feedback within 24 hours after delivery" service. If any packaging damage is found (such as the carton softening due to humidity during sea transportation), we will assist clients in communicating with insurance companies (such as PICC) to handle claims, with the appraisal process completed within three working days at the earliest.

Special note: The agent does not provide product certification (such as China's CMA test reports and Japan's JAS certification), but can recommend compliant third-party testing institutions and assist in reviewing the "validity" of the test reports (e.g., whether the testing items cover China's GB 7100-2015 standard).

In summary, the key to importing Japanese biscuits lies in "document compliance + accurate logistics + efficient foreign exchange settlement". Professional foreign trade agents can help enterprises save 30% of customs clearance time and reduce 15% of hidden costs (such as port detention fees and duplicate inspection fees) through full-process control. It is the best choice for small and medium-sized importers to break through the "experience barrier".