Export Cosmetics to Japan: What Korean Products Need

To export cosmetics to Japan, you need a Japanese company that holds a cosmetics marketing licence (化粧品製造販売業許可). That company files a marketing notification for each product, checks it against Japan’s Cosmetic Standards, and releases it with a Japanese full ingredient label.

A Korean brand or exporter cannot hold the licence from abroad, so the Japanese importer normally takes this role.

The rules come from Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Act. If you are a Japanese buyer planning to import Korean skincare, or a supplier preparing for one, these are the steps.

Step 1: Identify the marketing licence holder

According to JETRO’s guide to importing cosmetics, importing and selling cosmetics requires a cosmetics marketing licence, applied for at the pharmaceutical affairs department of the prefecture where the responsible office is located.

Kanagawa Prefecture’s licensing page adds that the licensee must meet the quality (GQP) and post-marketing safety (GVP) standards and appoint a general marketing compliance officer with qualifications such as a pharmacist licence or a chemistry background with experience.

The role is similar to Korea’s responsible seller; see Korea cosmetics responsible seller. The first question for any Japanese partner is whether it already holds the licence.

Step 2: Check formulas against the Cosmetic Standards

Japan’s Cosmetic Standards (Notice No. 331 of 2000, issued by the then Ministry of Health and Welfare; the text is on the MHLW website)¹ combine a negative list of prohibited and restricted ingredients with positive lists for groups such as preservatives, UV absorbers and tar colours.

According to JETRO, products that meet the Standards and list all ingredients can be sold on a notification basis, while products containing ingredients designated by the ministry need product-by-product approval.

A UV filter or colourant allowed in Korea must still appear on Japan’s positive list, or the formula has to change. Treat this the same way as an EU check; our Korea vs EU ingredient restrictions comparison shows the method.

Step 3: Foreign manufacturer notice and product notification

Tokyo’s notification guidance (PDF) says that for imported products, a notification on the foreign manufacturer must be filed with the PMDA before the marketing notification. The licence holder then files a cosmetics marketing notification for each product. The Korean side needs to provide accurate manufacturer names and addresses for these filings.

Step 4: Packaging, labelling and storage in Japan

Kanagawa Prefecture explains that a company importing and releasing products under its own name needs both the marketing licence and a manufacturing licence covering packaging, labelling and storage. It also notes that imports already carrying Japanese labels must be stored temporarily at a domestic site and undergo the required tests.

JETRO lists the label items for the immediate container or wrapping: the marketing licence holder’s name, the product name and the lot number, with all ingredients generally listed. Japanese ingredient labels use Japanese display names, so the INCI list must be mapped again to Japanese names. Permitted efficacy claims are also limited, so Korean marketing copy cannot simply be translated.

Step 5: Customs and other rules

Cosmetics usually fall under HS 3304 (make-up and sunscreen), 3305 (hair) or 3401 (soap), and JETRO recommends an advance ruling from customs.

Large quantities of samples may need an import confirmation from the regional health bureau, and aerosols within set limits need an exemption under the High Pressure Gas Safety Act. Personal imports of up to 24 standard-size units per item fall outside the rules, but commercial imports do not.

Summary

• A Japanese partner with a cosmetics marketing licence is essential.
• Check every formula against the Cosmetic Standards.
• File the foreign manufacturer notice, then a notification for each product.
• Label in Japanese at a licensed site in Japan.

SEONGWOO GLOBAL supplies Korean skincare to overseas buyers from Seoul. Japanese importers looking for Korean products can contact us through the pages below.

Related articles: Korea cosmetics export process · ASEAN cosmetic notification · INCI names for Korean ingredients

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Notes

1. Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Japan), 化粧品基準（平成12年厚生省告示第331号）, verified 2026-10-25. ↩