Japan ACPPrepare an indexed appointment pack that consistently identifies the appointing company, proposed agent, authority and transaction. Keep company evidence, the authority document, flow chart and notification working copy together, with dates and status recorded. Separate product evidence, mark missing records openly and resolve contradictions before treating the pack as ready.
Keep appointment evidence separate from product evidence
Use one folder for the appointment and another for the product review. The appointment folder explains who is appointing whom, what authority is given and how the transaction works. The product folder describes the goods. Keeping those purposes visible makes it easier to answer a specific request without resending an entire catalogue.
Japan Customs lists the appointment notification, authority document or contract details, evidence of the overseas notifier and agent's existence, and a commercial or transaction flow chart. Additional records may be requested. Use the official guidance alongside the case-specific document request, rather than treating our folder suggestion as the submission rules.
Create a short index before sending files
An index can be a simple table listing the document, issuer, date, company or transaction it describes, and current status. Write missing or being corrected where necessary. Avoid calling the pack complete while an important document is still a sample. Templates and unsigned working copies should be clearly labelled.
Use filenames that help the reader identify the content. Company-register-date is more useful than document-final-final. Keep the original issued record and any explanation together. If the record is not in English, tell the review team its language and ask what supporting explanation or translation is needed for this appointment.
| Record | Index note to include |
|---|---|
| Company evidence | Issuer, legal entity and issue date |
| Authority document | Appointing entity, proposed agent and signing status |
| Trade flow | Transaction version and preparation date |
| Notification working copy | Office and fields still awaiting confirmation |
Read the names across the whole pack
Check the overseas company's legal name, address and registration details wherever they appear. Explain a trading name or shortened name. Also identify the proposed signer and the person who can confirm their authority. A document signed by someone familiar to the logistics team still needs to relate to the legal entity making the appointment.
Review the transaction flow against the importer explanation. If the goods are bought by one company but a seller account belongs to another, the difference should be visible. Do not change an issued record to erase the mismatch. Obtain clarification or corrected evidence from the responsible issuer.
Send one controlled version
Choose one contact to collect answers and maintain the index. When you replace a file, note what changed and which earlier version it replaces. A short change note prevents reviewers from comparing old and new records as if both were current.
Ask which customs office the notification will address and what submission method is being used. Keep confirmation records with the appointment pack after filing. Our documents page provides the starting checklist; the appointment review will identify the pack needed for your actual arrangement and any outstanding questions.
- One appointing legal entity is identified consistently
- Working copies and issued records are distinguished
- Missing evidence has an owner and a clear request
- A single index identifies the current version of every file
Questions about this topic
Do I need a fully signed appointment pack for the first enquiry?+
For an initial enquiry, explain which records you have and which are still missing or being prepared. Clearly label unsigned working copies and sample documents. The review can identify the evidence needed for your arrangement. Do not treat a preliminary enquiry or an incomplete pack as a filed appointment notification.
What if the company names differ between my documents?+
Explain whether the difference is a trading name, abbreviation, previous name or a separate legal entity. Compare the register, authority document, invoice and transaction explanation. Obtain clarification or corrected evidence from the responsible issuer where needed. Do not alter an issued record yourself simply to make the names match.
Sources and scope
This guide is written to help you prepare information for a review. Its examples and working notes are illustrative. The linked Customs sources explain the formal procedures.
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