10. Case Study: Japan Beauty Device Import Clearance—How a 22-Year-Old Agency Completed Shanghai Airport Clearance in 3 Days

14. I. From Tokyo to Shanghai: A Beauty Devices Customs Journey

15. In September 2022, a batch of RF beauty devices from Japan landed at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. As professionalsImport Representation16. , we escorted these $380,000 worth ofMedical EquipmentCompleted the last mile from air transport to customer warehouses. This case is particularly noteworthy as it highlights three key challenges in medical device imports: complex declaration requirements, strict quarantine inspections, and tight timelines.

18. When taking on this project, the client was most concerned about two issues: whether the Japanese beauty devices could be imported smoothly as medical devices, and whether clearance could be completed before National Day. Our solution was: conduct pre-shipment inspections in advance, prepare complete medical device filing documents, and chooseAir Transportation19. + airport clearance fast track. The actual clearance took only 3 working days (including inspection), 40% faster than the industry average.

II. The clearance code for medical device imports

21. Many people dont realize that the biggest hurdle in beauty device imports isnt tariffs but medical device registration and filing. According to Chinas Regulations on the Supervision and Administration of Medical Devices, RF beauty devices fall under Class II medical devices and must provide:

• 22. Free Sale Certificate issued by Japanese authorities
• 23. Original medical device registration documents (Japanese + Chinese translation)
• 24. Product technical requirements and test reports (must comply with GB standards)
• 25. Chinese instructions and label samples

Our team completed two critical actions before the goods took off: first, coordinating with Japanese suppliers to obtain JETRO-certified pre-shipment inspection reports; second, submitting the import medical device filing application to the Shanghai Medical Products Administration in advance. This pre-clearance model was later called the clearance code by clients, effectively avoiding regulatory detention after goods arrive at the port.

III. The Life-and-Death Speed of Airport Customs Clearance

28. At 10:15 AM on Monday, September 26, the goods landed at Pudong Airport on time. Our on-site team had already prepared all electronic declaration documents:

1. 29. Air waybill (MAWB) and house air waybill (HAWB)
2. 30. Proforma Invoice showing FOB transaction price
3. 31. Japan Chamber of Commerce certifiedIt is recommended to verify through the following methods:
4. 32. Packing list detailing each devices serial number
5. 33. Pre-entered customs declaration (HS code 90189090)

After completing the declaration at 14:30 that afternoon, the customs system randomly selected our shipment for inspection. Heres a professional detail: medical device inspections typically involve joint checks by drug regulatory authorities. Because we had completed the filing in advance, we passed the quality and safety inspection the next day. On Wednesday, September 28, after the client paid the 6.5% tariff and 13% VAT in the morning, the system showed released at 12:08 noon.

35. IV. 15-Year Veteran Agencys Practical Insights

36. This cases success was no accident—it relied on three core capabilities accumulated over 15 years of import agency:

40. Special note: since 2023, customs has new interpretations for beauty device classification. Some therapeutic devices may be classified under 9018 instead of 9506, directly affecting tariff rates and regulatory requirements. In another recent case, our professional classification advice saved a client 9% in tariffs.

V. Professional suggestions for importers

41. Based on this case, here are three suggestions for companies planning to import beauty devices:

1. 42. Prepare qualifications in advance43. : Prepare medical device filing documents at least 2 months ahead, especially noting JETRO certification validity for Japanese products
2. 44. Calculate total logistics costs45. : Air freight may seem expensive, but considering capital occupation and peak sales, overall costs may be lower thanMaritime Transportation
3. 46. Evaluate agencies by case studies47. : Choose agencies with successful cases of similar products, especially for medical devices,Cosmetics & Personal Care48. and other categories recently scrutinized by customs

49. Recently, we helped a client process a Japanese beauty devices3C50. certification exemption application. If you encounter similar issues during import, feel free to contact us. In thisimport and export51. industry, sometimes one correct classification advice can justify the entire agency fee.