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Supplying Frozen Shrimp to Japan: What Importers Check Before the First Order

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TBES News

04 Nov, 2026

Japan is one of the most demanding markets for Vietnamese shrimp, and one of the most loyal. In 2025, Vietnam shipped USD 1.69 billion of seafood to Japan, and shrimp made up USD 561.7 million of it, about a third of the total. In the first nine months of 2026, shrimp exports to Japan reached roughly USD 441 million, up 6.4% year on year.

For a buyer in Japan, the product itself is only part of the decision. Each shipment has to clear the Food Sanitation Act, residue controls and labelling rules before it reaches a shelf or a kitchen. This guide sets out what an importer should confirm with a Vietnamese supplier before the first container is booked.

1. Every lot is notified to MHLW quarantine

Under Article 27 of the Food Sanitation Act, the importer files a Notification Form for Importation of Foods with the MHLW quarantine station at the port of entry. A food sanitation inspector reviews the documents and may order an inspection. Only cargo that passes receives a Certificate of Notification, and food imported without notification cannot be sold.

For the supplier, this means the documents must be ready before the vessel sails: commercial invoice, packing list, health certificate and a production record that matches the cartons.

2. Inspection orders for Vietnamese shrimp

Japan applies the Positive List System to residues of pesticides, feed additives and veterinary drugs. Any substance without its own maximum residue limit is held to a uniform limit of 0.01 ppm.

On top of routine monitoring, MHLW keeps inspection orders that require testing of every lot from a given country. The current list for Vietnam, last revised on 25 September 2026, includes:

Shrimp and simply processed shrimp: enrofloxacin
Farmed shrimp: doxycycline
Filefish: chloramphenicol
Seafood eaten without heating, from designated firms: Shigella

A lot held at the port for testing costs the importer time and storage. Buyers should ask for pre-shipment test results on the substances above, issued by an accredited laboratory, for each lot.

3. Labels written for the Japanese consumer

Shrimp and crab are on Japan's list of mandatory allergens, together with egg, milk, wheat, buckwheat, peanut, walnut and, since April 2026, cashew. Any processed product containing shrimp, such as breaded shrimp, shrimp balls or dim sum, must declare it.

For fresh and frozen seafood sold at retail, the label shows the product name and the country of origin. Farmed shrimp is labelled 養殖 (farmed) and thawed product is labelled 解凍 (thawed). Imported processed foods show the country of origin of the finished product.

Label artwork is usually supplied by the importer. The supplier's job is to make sure the product, the glaze and the net weight match what the label states.

4. Tariff: zero under VJEPA, AJCEP and CPTPP

Frozen shrimp under HS 0306.17 carries a general rate of 4% in Japan, with a temporary rate of 1%. Under the Japan–Vietnam EPA, the ASEAN–Japan agreement and CPTPP, the rate is zero. Simply boiled frozen shrimp under HS 1605.21.011 is also duty free under all three.

To claim the preference, the shipment needs a valid certificate of origin. Breaded shrimp and other prepared lines under HS 1605 sit on different tariff lines, so the rate should be checked line by line before quoting.

5. Spec details Japanese buyers ask about

Japanese buyers tend to specify more tightly than most markets. Before an order, agree on:

Count per kg or per lb, and the tolerance within each count
Glaze percentage and how net weight is declared
Freezing format: IQF, semi-IQF or block
Cut: HOSO, HLSO, PUD, PD, PTO, PDTO, butterfly or nobashi
Inner packing and carton marks

TBESFOOD supplies vannamei shrimp in HOSO, HLSO, PUD, PD, PTO, PDTO and butterfly cuts, frozen IQF, semi-IQF or block, in retail packs or bulk. HOSO sizes run from 16/20 to 81/100 pieces per kg.

Working with TBESFOOD

TBESFOOD COMPANY LIMITED, a member of TBES Group, has exported seafood from Vietnam since 2016 and ships to 30 countries. If you are planning shrimp for the Japanese market, our export team can share specifications and documents for review before you place an order. Contact us at export@tbesfood.com.