Customs duty from Japan to China: Import Duty Guide

Key Takeaways

• China and Japan had no bilateral tariff preference of any kind before RCEP took effect on 1 January 2022 - a genuinely notable fact given the size and proximity of both economies.
• RCEP commits China to eventual 0% tariffs on 86% of Japanese tariff lines, phased in over as long as 20 years - meaning full coverage is still a long way off as of 2026.
• RCEP appears stable, with no reported disruption to its China-Japan provisions as of this writing.
• China’s imports from Japan were valued at roughly $156.2 billion in 2024, though 2025 volumes ran lower amid broader regional trade disruption.
• Electrical and electronic equipment, machinery, and optical/medical instruments dominate Japan’s exports to China.

Japan-China Trade at a Glance

China’s imports from Japan were valued at roughly $156.2 billion in 2024 (UN Comtrade), with an estimated $89 billion for the first seven months of 2025 (China Briefing, citing China’s General Administration of Customs) - both figures put Japan consistently among China’s largest single sources of imports.

Is There a Trade Deal Between Japan and China?

Yes, but only recently, and only in a specific form worth understanding. Despite being two of the world’s largest economies and immediate neighbors, China and Japan had no bilateral free trade agreement or any tariff preference with each other at all until the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) took effect on 1 January 2022 - a 15-country Asia-Pacific trade bloc that created, for the first time, any preferential tariff arrangement between the two countries (CBBC; China Briefing). Under RCEP, China commits to eventual zero tariffs on 86% of Japanese tariff lines - up from only around 8% of lines that were tariff-free before RCEP - though the phase-in schedule runs as long as 20 years for some categories, so full coverage remains far off as of 2026. Japan reciprocates with 0% treatment on 88% of Chinese tariff lines. No disruption to RCEP’s China-Japan provisions has been reported as of this writing.

How Much Will You Pay Importing from Japan to China?

Because RCEP’s tariff elimination is still mid-phase-in for many categories, you can’t assume 0% duty across the board even for goods that will eventually qualify - the specific tariff line and its RCEP staging schedule matter. Outside of RCEP-covered categories, the standard mechanics apply: orders under the postal regime pay a bundled 13/20/50% tax on declared goods value (waived if the tax owed is RMB 50 or less, capped at RMB 2,000 per shipment), while CBEC-qualifying orders pay 0% duty plus VAT and consumption tax at 70% of the standard rate, within RMB 5,000 per-transaction and RMB 26,000 per-year limits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did China and Japan always have preferential trade terms with each other?

No - despite their size and proximity, they had no bilateral tariff preference at all until RCEP took effect in January 2022. It was a genuinely new development, not a modernization of an older deal.

Are Japanese goods duty-free into China now?

Not entirely, and not yet for most categories - RCEP’s tariff elimination for Japan-China trade is phased in over as long as 20 years, so many goods are still working through a gradual reduction rather than already at 0%.

How big is Japan-China trade?

China’s imports from Japan reached roughly $156.2 billion in 2024, consistently placing Japan among China’s largest sources of goods imports, though 2025 volumes came in lower amid broader trade disruption in the region.

What does Japan mainly export to China?

Electrical and electronic equipment, industrial machinery, and optical and medical instruments are Japan’s largest export categories to China, reflecting its advanced manufacturing base.