Explanation of Japan's New METI Registration Regulations

Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has revised the Electrical Appliances Registration System. The new regulations will officially take effect on December 25, 2025. This regulatory update primarily impacts cross-border e-commerce product safety supervision, covering multiple common categories such as electronic devices and children's toys, requiring overseas sellers to assume greater compliance responsibilities.

Seller Platform Help > Policies, Agreements, and Guidelines > Program Policies > Account Rating Program > Selling on Amazon Fee Schedule > Product Categories and Restrictions > Product Safety > Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) Content: Specially Designated Products, Designated Products Other Than Specially Designated Products, Designated Children's Products Classified as Specially Designated Products, Designated Products Excluding Designated Children's Products and Specially Designated Products, Standard Compliance Obligations, Important Notes for Overseas Sellers, Manufacturers or Importers of Specially Designated Products, Manufacturers or Importers of Designated Products, Manufacturers or Importers of Designated Products Excluding Designated Children's Products and Specially Designated Products, Policy Violations, Resources, Other Resources

If you wish to list products on Amazon, you must comply with all applicable laws, regulations, standards, and our policies related to those products and product information.

The Consumer Product Safety Act (referred to as the "CPSA") aims to prevent consumer products from causing harm to the life or personal safety of general consumers. The CPSA regulates the manufacture and sale of designated products, promotes the proper maintenance of designated maintenance products, and implements measures such as collecting and providing product accident information to protect the rights and interests of general consumers.

Scope of Application

The core of this revision to the meti registration system is to strengthen supervision over e-commerce channels and clarify the responsible entities.

Changes in Determination Standards

The new regulations first require determining whether the sales channel is online or offline. For online channels selling through e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, it is now mandatory to have a domestic administrator in Japan (a Chinese administrator must be locally based in Japan), with the main purpose of ensuring that the responsible person can be contacted at any time.

Changes in Registration Roles

The registration entity has shifted from the original Japanese importer to the overseas business (Chinese e-commerce company). This means that Chinese e-commerce companies now need to act as the registration entity and simultaneously appoint a responsible person in Japan to complete the registration.

Applicable Entities of the New Regulations (Specified Product Importers)

Overseas operators directly selling products subject to the PS mark to Japanese domestic consumers are classified as Specified Product Importers. They may complete registration (similar to existing manufacturers and importers) and are required to comply with technical standards and other regulations.

Overseas Businesses Selling and Delivering Products to Consumers Through Importers

Overseas Business → Declaring Enterprise → Importer → Wholesaler → Seller → Consumer

Overseas Businesses Directly Selling and Delivering Products to Consumers

<Process via Digital Trading Platform Providers>

Overseas Business (Overseas) → 1. Ship to Warehouse (Domestic) → Digital Trading Platform Provider → 2. Place Order on E-commerce Platform → Warehouse Storage → 3. Delivery → Consumer

(Specified Product Importer) → Appoint → Domestic Administrator ※ Specified Importers must designate in accordance with the law

<Sales Process via Self-built Website>

Overseas Business → 1. Self-built Website for Japan → 2. Place Order → 3. Delivery → Consumer

(Specified Product Importer) → Declaring Enterprise → Appoint → Domestic Administrator*

METI Registration Process

The previous METI registration process was relatively simple, basically consisting of two steps: "submitting documents + waiting for review," which proficient agencies could usually complete within two weeks. However, the new regulations have refined the process into a "three-step procedure," with clear time and document requirements for each link. The process cannot proceed if any step is missing.

Cost Structure for Self-Application (Subject to Actual Circumstances):

If the client already has a domestic administrator, the costs mainly include three parts:

1. GBiz-id registration fee: Paid once a year per company and per responsible person;

2. Japanese domestic administrator qualification registration fee: Paid for each product registration and renewed annually;

3. METI registration fee: Also paid for each product registration and renewed annually.

Agency Service Fees (Subject to Actual Circumstances):

If using an agency's domestic administrator, the costs include:

1. GBiz-id registration fee (including domestic administrator agency fee);

2. Fees for steps 2 and 3 are basically the same as self-application.

Consistency Between pse certificate and Registration Information

(1) Accurate Reflection of Applicant Information:

The name of the e-commerce company (overseas entity) must be indicated on the PSE Conformity Certificate, and this name must fully match the business identity submitted during METI registration.

(2) Consistency of Three Sets of Information:

The PSE certificate, METI registration information, and actual sales channels must be consistent. Even a single incorrect model letter or a missing postal code in the manufacturer's address may result in registration failure or a request to supplement and correct relevant documents.

Kind Reminder from JJR Testing

December 25, 2025, is approaching, and the Japanese market is entering a new era of supervision. Overseas sellers without registration or a Japanese agent will completely lose their "legal status" in the Japanese market. Their products may be removed from shelves at any time, and they may even face the risk of platform account suspension. It is recommended that cross-border sellers take immediate action to complete compliance processes such as product testing, certification applications, and selection of Japanese agents as soon as possible, and finalize product compliance arrangements to avoid affecting normal sales.