Japan Post To Stop Parcels to US

[Dano]

www.japanprobe.com/2010/11/16/japan-post-places-restrictions-on-shipments-to-the-united-states/

www.majiroxnews.com/2010/11/13/japan-post-to-stop-parcels-to-us/

The Japan Post Office announced November 12 that from November 17 it would indefinitely stop accepting mail parcels to the United States weighing more than 453 grams. The Post Office has at this time given no indication of how long this suspension will last only saying that it is “for the time being.” This suspension includes all regular international airmail parcels, as well as EMS.

[Tilly]

Well, bollocks.

If that holds out, I expect to see middleman services springing up. Uuuugh the shipping.

[gurenseven]

From Japanese toy manufacturers, to YJA, and now this....what is this weird thing Japan has against selling or shipping anything internationally, especially to the U.S.!

Guess I will be getting my anime/toy items from China from now on.

[Dano]

www.hlj.com/announcement/ems-shipping.html

we have been assured by the Japan Postal Service that this will have absolutely no effect at all on any postal EMS or SAL shipments from HobbyLink Japan to the US (or anywhere else), and shipping will continue as usual.

[Maethius]

YAY! More disastrous news for international collectors!!!!

>_<

[Tilly]

Nov 15, 2010 21:48:23 GMT -5 gurenseven said:

From Japanese toy manufacturers, to YJA, and now this....what is this weird thing Japan has against selling or shipping anything internationally, especially to the U.S.!

Guess I will be getting my anime/toy items from China from now on.

Yeah, 'cause the US isn't being xenophobic right now at all :p. And don't get me started on the TSA...

Yahoo Japan I can actually understand the restrictions; they don't want a bunch of people buying and not paying, or buying in a language they don't understand. Veryfying by credit cards is a good way to stop scammers, and restricting it to Japan stops the language gap. Kinda sucks, though. Wish there were a way to use an international card and sign some kind of "It's my fault if I misread AUCTION IS FOR BOX ONLY" agreement, then ask sellers personally if they'd take payment from a US buyer.

[Xehn]

(as far as what I've read, at least) It's not Japan's fault. It was requested by the US Department of Homeland Security in response to... recent events, and I'm ASSUMING it's FAR from just Japan that's been affected.

That said, it only affects private citizens. Businesses that have accounts with Japan Post, such as HLJ, are unaffected. At least one proxy service has been confirmed as being unaffected.

There are rumors the ban only extends to unmarked (no return address, no name, etc) parcels, but they're unconfirmed beyond a quoted email from an Amiami representative on 4chan.

Also I've heard it only affects air mail. Shipping by sea is still an (incredibly slow) option.

Edit: ...man, reading the articles, either I've been lied to or nobody's telling the whole truth of the matter.