Entering by boat: Japan

Before you arrive

• Notify the authorities 24 hours before arrival.
• Online procedure: Pre-arrival Procedure Form / Ship Security Information (Japan Coast Guard), par NACCS, fax, courrier ou remise en main propre — kaiho.mlit.go.jp/ope/apply/hoan00-e.html

The steps

1. At least one week ahead: apply for the blanket closed-port permit at the MLIT District Transport Bureau of the first closed port you will visit.
2. 24 h before arrival (one week recommended): send the pre-arrival form and crew list to the Coast Guard office of the chosen open port.
3. Arrive in daylight at the announced time; the Coast Guard tells you which quay to use for clearance.
4. Alongside: quarantine (health, fresh food), customs (search, forms), Coast Guard, immigration (fingerprints, photo, 90-day stamp for most nationalities).
5. Ask customs for Naikosen status, then cruise port to port with the closed-port permit.

Papers to have on board

• Passports for the whole crew
• Crew list
• Boat papers (registration certificate)
• General declaration
• Ship’s stores declaration
• Maritime declaration of health
• Biosecurity declaration

Good to know

• First entry must be at an 'open port' (official MLIT list of about 119 ports).
• Every vessel arriving from abroad, whatever its size, sends ship security information to the Coast Guard 24 h before arrival; cruisers recommend a week.
• Calling at a 'closed port' (almost all marinas and anchorages) is forbidden without a special MLIT permit: the blanket permit is free, never expires, apply at least one week ahead; penalties up to 2 years in prison or a JPY 1,000,000 fine.
• Fresh fruit, vegetables and meat on board are destroyed by quarantine on arrival.
• Ask at the first port for 'Naikosen' (domestic) status to avoid customs formalities in every port; it cannot be obtained at Chichijima (Ogasawara).

Ports of entry

The ports where you can clear in, and the services available there.

Sources

• kaiho.mlit.go.jp/ope/apply/hoan00-e.html
• mlit.go.jp/en/maritime/specialpermission.html
• mlit.go.jp/common/001420113.pdf
• mlit.go.jp/common/001257673.pdf

This information is gathered from public sources and sailors’ experience. It does not replace the country’s authorities, whose word is final: check before you leave.