The Japan Air Cargo Forwarders Association (JAFA) has warned that a law covering the submission by incoming carriers of cargo manifest data to Japan Customs prior to arrival, which was implemented in February this year, has been further expanded.
The initial law stipulated that the reporting time frame ranged from ‘three hours in advance’ to ‘by the time of their arrival’ at the first airport, depending on the length of their journey, while data are being transmitted electronically or by fax. Non compliance could result in imprisonment of up to one year, or fines of up to half million Japanese Yen (US$4,400).
Under amendments made in June of this year, the type of data which Japan Customs may collect in relation to the advance filing of cargo information, has been considerably expanded.
Upon request by Japan Customs, forwarders and/or consignees are now obliged to furnish HAWB data and other pertinent information to Customs. Fraudulent or negligent forwarders and/ or consignees are subjected to penalties similar to the ones mentioned earlier, JAFA said.