USA to Japan- shipping swords.

[omidaijo]

Hi All,

 

I rarely post but think this will affect all USA collectors shipping swords to Japan for restoration.

 

About 6 weeks ago I shipped a sword via International Express Mail USPS (EMS) to Japan. As required by the Japan based agent, the sword was declared as an "antique Japanese sword" , with an accompanying letter stating the export code and 'not for sale' etc.  Value $600. Despite questioning the required declaration, that was the only way to send it.

 

Off it went by USPS with a 4 to 5 day delivery expectation. About 7 days later the online tracking showed  a "customs compliance" issue with a "returned to sender" statement. ..then nothing.

 

Several weeks passed and no further tracking information available. Multiple calls and visits to various USPS offices, station managers, and ICS (international customer service ) revealed that the package could take 45 days to even enter the tracking system and that "Swords, gold and ivory" are not permitted into Japan. I had no tracking device in the box.

 

Here we are 6 weeks later and it just showed up out of the blue...luckily ....my local postal delivery guy knows I was getting worried about it, saw it arrive at the post office this morning and scanned it back into the system...then delivered it. If he had not scanned it, it would never have shown up in the system at all.

 

So.....some major learning points here...

 

1. There is a major chain of custody problem between US Customs and USPS with packages NOT being scanned / accounted for when transferred from one organisation to the other. (I know of at least 5 swords that have gone missing/stolen over the last 2 yrs in the customs/usps black hole).

 

2. Customs have an incorrect grasp  of the legal import of declared swords into Japan. I am going to write to them....won't change a thing probably).

 

3. USPS are grossly negligent in their ability to scan and track packages.

 

4. Anyone shipping a sword (or valuables) MUST use a tracking device (I am now using an Android Find hub card ...luckil because as I write this, a friend of mine is bringing his swords/tsuba and another sword of mine back from San Fran sword show to Texas. The sword box just got offloaded in Sacramento hundreds of miles away in the wrong direction on the wrong flight...and is sitting in Sacramento arrivals hall....so here we go again! At least I can track it.

 

4. The Japan based agents/dealers need to raise this issue with the Japanese authorities ref USA customs interpretation of the import regulations. If you want a Japanese restoration, the ONLY other option is to hand carry your sword into Japan under a hiki-watashi-sho (temp. import license) or go with a USA based polisher and visitng Shinsa team....

 

What happened to the good old days of trusting people to do their job dilligently?

 

Rog

[John C]

27 minutes ago, omidaijo said:

trusting people to do their job dilligently?

You won't get any arguments from me. USPS is absolutely terrible where I live; no oversight, no accountability for mistakes, and no disciplinary action for those who consistently get it wrong. Our community FB page is filled with the same horror stories. 

 

John C.

[atm]

@omidaijo Did it got through Los Angeles? I had a sword rejected by outbound customs in Los Angeles and have heard of this happening several times from others for swords shipped Express Mail USPS.

[omidaijo]

Chicago.......but LAX has the exact same problem. It appears that there is a chain of custody loophole between customs and USPS which is being exploited by thieves....its internal as well in that it is either Customs or USPS employees.

[omidaijo]

Also US export customs are apparently not aware of the ability to import traditional swords into Japan under special priviledges (nihonto). They just look at the "no swords" part of the regulations and thats it. I am getting the impression that in the past, the export customs side just weren't that good at spotting nihonto leaving the USA or didn't care, hence swords being exported generally got through. Nowadays, AI type sytems are flagging "swords" for further inspection prior to leaving the USA and Customs merely apply the "no swords into Japan" restriction. ...and this is where it all falls apart ..because the 'returned' items are NOT being scanned back into the USPS system (probably a limitation of the actual system). So you cant see where it is. Add the "antique Japanese sword" (dinner gong to thieves) label, and hey presto....dinner is served.

[omidaijo]

God forbid that weapons of mass destruction are being shipped internationally. Thank you radical left!