If you live in Japan, you might wonder if Amazon is available in your country? In short, the answer is yes. However, it may not have the same features as other countries.
Therefore, this article will highlight some differences that shoppers can expect to experience when shopping on Amazon as a resident of Japan or an international shopper, so keep reading to learn more!
Is Amazon in Japan In [currentyear]?
Japan is a valuable export country for Amazon, so the Amazon Japan website was created to offer shoppers in Japan access to unique food products, advanced technology, and hard-to-find products that are not on the US website. Although shoppers can make purchases from Amazon Japan from many countries, product selection is limited due to shipping restrictions in [currentyear].
If you want to know more about what it’s like to shop on Amazon as a resident of Japan, or an international shopper, keep reading for more information!
Is Amazon Popular in Japan?
Amazon is an incredibly popular company in Japan. In response to the company’s popularity amongst Japanese language speakers, Amazon.co.jp has been available since October 31, 2000.
Before 2000, Japan was the largest export country of the US, as it flourished with over 193,000 shoppers and topped $34 million in annual sales.
What Is the Difference Between Amazon US and Amazon Japan?
One key difference between Amazon US and Amazon Japan is the language.
As you might already know, Amazon’s website is available in English. However, if you visit Amazon in Japan, it will automatically convert to Japanese.
Besides the language, shipping is another area where the two countries differ.
For example, if an Amazon member logs in from the US, a pop-up will notify the shopper that they are only being shown items that can ship to the US.
In order to see other products, shoppers must change their delivery address.
In America, shoppers have an option for Prime members to get their products within two days with free shipping.
In Japan, Prime shipping is excluded from certain areas, and doesn’t extend to international orders.
Several of the areas not covered by Prime expedited shipping in Japan are as follows:
| City | Postal code |
| Okushiri Town, Okushiri District | 0431400, 0431401, 0431402, 0431403, 0431404, 0431405, 0431406, 0431498, 0431521, 0431522, 0431523, 0431524, 0431525 |
| Shiogama | 9850191, 9850192, 9850193, 9850194, 9850195 |
| Hachijojima Hachijo Town | 1001400, 1001401, 1001492, 1001498, 1001511, 1001621, 1001622, 1001623 |
| Minamichita Town, Chita District | 4703504, 4703505 |
| Himeji | 6720101, 6720102, 6720103 |
| Kasaoka | 7140035, 7140036, 7140037, 7140038, 7140301, 7140302 |
| Nagasaki | 8511201, 8511315, 8570071 |
Can Amazon US Ship to Japan?
Even though Amazon has a website in Japan, the US company can still ship to Japan.
Since Amazon wants to provide shoppers with the best possible shipping experience, the company works closely with carriers like UPS and FedEx.
During checkout, the exact shipping charges are calculated based on the weight and volume of items in your cart.
For each shipment, the total shipping cost is based on a base “Per Shipment” rate and various “Per Item” rates.
Each “Per Item” rate depends on the item, and varies on weight or volume (dimensional weight).
This table excerpt below shows that the base per shipment minimum charge in Japan begins at $2.99 for standard shipments.
| Region | Standard Shipping
Per shipment |
Expedited Shipping
Per shipment |
Priority Courier Shipping
Per shipment |
| Japan | starting from $2.99 | starting from $8.99 | starting from $18.99 |
As items are added to shoppers’ carts, this rate rises for the minimum base level.
Can Shoppers Use an Amazon US Account to Shop on Amazon Japan?
Although Amazon Japan and Amazon US have different websites, they are owned by the same parent company.
Therefore, if a shopper has an Amazon account in the US, they can also shop on Amazon Japan.
What Countries Can Amazon Japan Ship To?
Through Amazon Japan’s international delivery program, shoppers can ship products to many international countries.
However, not all sellers and items are eligible for this service. Before ordering, always double-check to see if your country is eligible for international deliveries!
Currently, Amazon Japan mainly ships to the following countries:
1. USA & Canada
Some Amazon Japan products can ship to North America, including the United States.
However, Amazon Japan cannot deliver to other unincorporated territories in the US, such as Puerto Rico and Guam.
2. United Kingdom
Since the UK is part of the Amazon Global program, shoppers can ship select products from Amazon Japan to their doorstep in the UK.
3. Australia & New Zealand
Although Australia and New Zealand are eligible destinations for Amazon Japan’s Global shipping program, not all states and territories can receive shipments from overseas.
4. Singapore & Hong Kong
Eligible items can be delivered to the city-states of Singapore and Hong Kong from Amazon Japan through the Global shipping program.
5. Other Countries
- Africa: Egypt and South Africa
- Asia-Pacific: China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Palau, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand
- Europe: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey
- Latin America: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela
- Middle East and South Asia: Bahrain, Israel, India, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates
Unfortunately, if shoppers don’t see their country on the list above, a package forwarding company will need to be used to have products from Amazon Japan delivered.
Even when a country is found on this list, that doesn’t mean all products are eligible for shipping, as some products on Japan’s website are unavailable for international shipping.
What Are Some of the Most Popular Items Found on Amazon Japan?
Many products are available in Japan, but they may not be the Amazon products most shoppers are used to.
Known for its high-quality design, Japan has the latest cutting-edge tech and toys from your favorite Japanese anime.
Therefore, many hard-to-find items outside of Japan can be found here!
One frequently ordered item from Japanese Amazon warehouses is pop culture figures from Japanese products, like Pokémon cards, plush toys, and Dragon Ball Z figures.
Also common are Hatsune Miku and Tomica toy cars and trains.
Another popular item purchased on Amazon Japan are Japanese Kit Kat chocolate bars.
Many may not know that Nestlé has released over 300 limited-edition seasonal and regional flavors in Japan.
Most aren’t available anywhere else, such as raspberry-infused dark chocolate with orange-chocolate rum or matcha green tea with soy sauce!
To know more about Amazon, you can also read our posts on whether or not Amazon ships to Hawaii, if Amazon ships to Alaska, and why is Amazon shipping so expensive.
Conclusion
Although Amazon Japan offers a way for those in Japan to purchase international goods easily, it doesn’t provide the same selection or shipping options as Americans are accustomed to.
Likewise, Amazon Japan has a distinct set of products, like hard-to-find food products and anime not seen on Amazon.com.
