Japan’s B2C e-commerce market is booming. According to Statista Market Insights, the Japanese e-commerce market reached $191.9 billion in 2024, with a year-on-year growth rate of 8.4%, and is expected to grow to $206.8 billion in 2025, up 7.7%year-over-year. As the third-largest e-commerce marketafter China and the United States, Japan has always been a fiercely contested territory among major e-commerce platforms. Cross-border e-commerce platforms such as Tiktok, TEMU, SHEIN, and AliExpresshave achieved significant success in Japan.
Japan enforces strict product regULations, especially for electronic and electrical products. Whether sold online or offline, such products mustcomply with pse certificationand wireless telec certification, and must also be registered with METI.
PSE Certification (Product Safety of Electrical Appliance & Materials)is Japan’s mandatory safety certification systemfor electrical products, implemented under the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Law (DENAN). It ensures that electronic products meet Japan’s safety standards for electric shock protectionand fire prevention.
1. Specified Electrical Appliances (Category A)
These require the diamond-shaped pse mark. They are high-risk products (116 types in total) that must be tested and certified by a government-authorized third-party certification body, similar to China’s ccc certification.
2. Non-specified Electrical Appliances (Category B)
These require the round PSE mark. They are lower-risk products (341 types in total), such as small household appliances, lighting equipment, and lithium batteries. Manufacturers can self-declare conformityor entrust qualified laboratoriesto perform testing and issue round pse certificates and reports.
Under Japan’s Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Law, Japanese importersmust register with METI(Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) within one monthafter purchasing goods.
Approval from METI must be obtained, and the importer’s name or IDmust be indicated on the productfor supervision and tracking.
Once registration is completed, the importer will receive the following documents:
- Notification of Electrical Appliance Manufacturing Business
- Notification of Electrical Appliance Import Business
These are collectively referred to as the METI registration documents.
Under Japan’s Radio Law, wireless equipment entering the Japanese market must obtain type approval(technical conformity certification).
TELEC (Telecom Engineering Center)certification is a mandatory wireless certificationsupervised by Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC). It ensures that wireless devices comply with the technical standards specified by Japan’s Radio Law, guaranteeing their legal operationwithin the country. TELEC is one of Japan’s main certification bodies, similar to China’s SRRC wireless type approval.
- Wireless LAN devices (Wi-Fi 2.4GHz / 5GHz)
- Bluetooth devices
- RFID devices (e.g., NFC)
- Cellular communication equipment (4G/5G modules)
- Other wireless transmission products (e.g., ZigBee, LoRa)
VCCI (Voluntary Control Council for Interference by Information Technology Equipment)is Japan’s voluntary control program for electromagnetic interference (EMI)of IT equipment.
Although not mandatory, VCCI certification ensures that IT products do not emit excessive electromagnetic interferencethat could affect other devices, enhancing product competitivenessand meeting Japanese retailers’ and consumers’ expectations.
- Computers and peripherals (desktops, laptops, servers, monitors)
- Printers, scanners, copiers
- Network devices (routers, switches)
- Storage devices (hard drives, USB drives)
- Other IT devices capable of generating EMI
JATE (Japan Approvals Institute for Telecommunications Equipment)certification is a mandatory telecom conformity assessmentunder Japan’s Telecommunications Business Law. It ensures that telecommunication equipment connected to public networks meets Japan’s technical and safety standards.
In short, JATE certificationserves as Japan’s network access approval.
All wireless products connected to public telephone or telecom networks must obtain JATE certification.
Japan’s Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications (MPHPT)mandates under the Telecommunications Business Lawthat public network telecom devices undergo this certification.
- Mobile phones
- Telephone network equipment
- Wireless paging devices
- ISDN equipment
- Leased line and other telecommunication devices
When exporting products to Japan, manufacturers must ensure that their products comply with local regulationsand complete the necessary certifications in advance.
Except for the round PSE certification(which typically takes about 1 week), other certifications such as diamond PSE, TELEC, and JATEusually require 1–2 monthsto complete.
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