---
title: "Selling Plush in Japan: Import Rules Guide 2026 | Takara"
description: "How to import custom plush into Japan in 2026: designated toys and import notification, child PSC for under-3 toys, ST mark, origin labels, duty and QC."
url: https://takarahq.com/insights-japan-plush-import
lang: en
last_updated: 2026-11-09
publisher: "Takara Corporation JSC (takarahq.com)"
---

Takara Research

# Selling Vietnam-Made Plush in Japan: Food Sanitation Act, Child PSC, Labeling and QC (2026)

Japan’s plush market grew 38% in a year. What it takes to sell Vietnam-made plush there: the import notification, specifications, the new child PSC mark, labeling and the quality Japanese buyers expect.

**Amy Nguyen** · Nov 9, 2026 · 15 min read

**¥62.4bn**

Japan plush market, fiscal 2025

**+38.2%**

Year on year

Cover: selling Vietnam-made plush in Japan, with Mira peeking in

Insights from **Amy Nguyen** CEO & Co-founder, Takara

Summary in 60 seconds

- **Market:** Japan’s plush market reached ¥62.4 billion in fiscal 2025, up 38.2% year on year, according to the Japan Toy Association. The total toy market hit a record ¥1.1664 trillion.
- **Food Sanitation Act:** animal toys and dolls for children under 6 are “designated toys”. Every commercial import needs a notification to the quarantine station, and the toy must meet limits for heavy metals in coatings, phthalates in plasticized parts, and colorants.
- **What is excluded:** plush too large or heavy for a small child to put in the mouth, and keychains and phone straps, are not designated toys. The authorities judge from labeling, design and where the product is sold.
- **Child PSC:** toys for children under 3 made or imported from December 25, 2025 must meet a national technical standard, carry age and warning labels in Japanese, and show the round child PSC mark.
- **ST mark:** voluntary, awarded after third-party testing, and often required by Japanese retailers.
- **Duty:** toys under HS 9503, including plush, are duty-free in Japan at the general and EPA rates. Import consumption tax is 10%.
- **Made in Vietnam:** custom plush for export starts at 1,000 pieces per design. The first sample takes 7–10 working days; the reference schedule is about 55 days from brief to delivery, plus ocean freight.

¥62.4bn Japan plush market, fiscal 2025 (retail value)

+38.2% Plush market growth, year on year

Dec 25, 2025 Child PSC mark mandatory for under-3 toys

0% Japan import duty on HS 9503 toys

## 1. Japan’s plush market grew 38% in a year

The Japan Toy Association puts Japan’s toy market at ¥1.1664 trillion in fiscal 2025 (April 2025 to March 2026) at suggested retail prices, up 6.3% and the largest since its current survey method began in 2001. Plush stood out: character and non-character plush together grew from ¥45.1 billion to ¥62.4 billion.

**Japan plush market** ¥ billion, retail value

Fiscal 2024 ¥45.1bn

Fiscal 2025 ¥62.4bn

Source: Japan Toy Association, domestic toy market by category, fiscal 2025. Values at suggested retail prices.

**Growth on the previous year** %

Plush 138.2%

Ten main categories 107.3%

Total toy market 106.3%

Source: Japan Toy Association, fiscal 2025.

Children are only part of the story. “Kidult” spending, adults buying toys for themselves, and nui-katsu, carrying a favorite character plush everywhere, have made bag charms and palm-size plush big sellers. Brands and companies also order more custom plush as novelties, collaborations and event merchandise.

Supply is concentrated. A June 2025 interim report by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) notes that about 80% of toys imported into Japan come from China. For buyers who want a second source, Vietnam offers a large, skilled sewing workforce and factories used to Japanese quality expectations.

## 2. The rules at a glance

These are the main rules for selling Vietnam-made plush in Japan. Which ones apply depends on the age grade, the sales channel and the components: plastic eyes, PVC parts, prints and metal trims.

| Rule | Applies to | What it means for plush | Who does it |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Food Sanitation Act (designated toys) | Designated toys for children under 6, including animal toys and dolls | Notification at every import; specifications for coatings, plasticized parts and colorants | Importer, with documents from the manufacturer |
| Consumer Product Safety Act (child PSC) | Toys for children under 3 made or imported from Dec 25, 2025 | Business notification, technical standard, age and warning labels, child PSC mark | Manufacturer or importer |
| ST mark | Toys for children under 14 (voluntary) | Shown on toys that pass third-party testing; often a retailer requirement | Applicant and test lab |
| Premiums and Representations Act, Customs Act | All imports | Clear country of origin; no labeling that suggests Japanese origin | Importer and seller |
| Duty and tax | HS 9503 | Duty-free; 10% import consumption tax | Importer |

These are Japan’s rules only. A plush also sold in the US or EU needs testing for those markets too, such as ASTM F963 or EN 71. The [toy safety matrix](https://takarahq.com/insights-toy-safety-compliance-matrix) compares markets side by side.

For brands outside Japan

The obligations sit with the importer in Japan. A foreign brand selling into Japan needs a Japanese importer of record, its own entity, a distributor or an import agent, who files the notifications and carries the labels and records.

## 3. Food Sanitation Act: is your plush a “designated toy”?

Article 68(1) of Japan’s Food Sanitation Act regulates the manufacture, import and sale of toys designated by the government as able to harm infants’ health through contact. The law sets no age, but “infants” is read as children under 6, following other statutes. Since April 2024, the Consumer Affairs Agency sets the specifications and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) still enforces them.

Designated toys ①

**Toys meant to touch the mouth.** Pacifiers, teethers and toy whistles.

Designated toys ②

**Listed categories.** Accessory toys, roly-polies, rattles, educational toys, building blocks, animal toys, dolls, balls and play kitchen sets. Most plush counts as an animal toy or a doll.

Designated toys ③

**Toys used together with ① or ②.** A house and furniture for a doll, rails for a toy train.

Excluded

**Large plush, keychains.** Plush too large or heavy for a small child to pick up and put in the mouth, phone straps and keychains are not designated toys.

Whether a toy is for children under 6 is judged objectively from the packaging and instructions, advertising, design and specification, and where it is displayed and sold. A mascot planned for adult nui-katsu fans can still be treated as an infant toy if it sells in the children’s aisle. The quarantine stations’ import consultation desks offer free advance consultations by appointment.

Bag charms and keychains

Keychain and bag-charm plush are among the examples listed as not designated toys. If the same design is also sold as a regular plush, that version is a designated toy. Decide the sales channel and age grade per item number.

## 4. The specifications: coatings, phthalates and colorants

Specifications are set by toy type and material. Even a plush made of fabric and fiberfill picks up requirements as soon as it has plastic eyes, a PVC face, prints or dyed fabric.

| Part or material | Main specification | Plush examples |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Toy coatings | Cadmium ≤ 75 µg/g, lead ≤ 90 µg/g, arsenic ≤ 25 µg/g | Painted eyes and noses, metal trims, printed areas |
| Parts made of plasticized material | DBP, DEHP and BBP not above 0.1% each | Soft plastic parts, PVC faces and limbs, plastisol prints |
| Parts meant to touch the mouth | Also DIDP, DINP and DNOP not above 0.1% each | Baby plush with a pacifier, for example |
| Parts made mainly of PVC | Migration limits for permanganate consumption, heavy metals, cadmium, evaporation residue and arsenic | PVC face parts, tags |
| Colorants (manufacturing standard) | Synthetic colorants must be those listed in Appendix 1 of the Ordinance, unless no colorant migrates in a 10-minute 40 °C water test | Dyed fabric, embroidery thread, prints |

The colorant standard is the one plush makers miss. Fabric dyes and embroidery threads are not food colorants, so in practice the toy has to pass the migration test. The more colors a design uses, the more carefully the fabrics and threads sent for testing need to be planned.

Design tip

For plush aimed at children under 3, embroider the eyes and nose instead of using plastic parts. It cuts the small-parts risk under the child PSC rules and removes the plastic-part tests in one step. See the [design-for-manufacturing guide](https://takarahq.com/insights-design-for-manufacturing) .

## 5. Import notification and inspection

An importer bringing designated toys into Japan for sale or business use must notify the quarantine station at every import, even when the same product is already on sale in Japan.

1. Prepare **The import notification form and supporting documents.** Documents from the manufacturer showing the product name, manufacturer’s name and address, materials, shape, colors and pattern, whether coatings and plasticizers (phthalates) are used, and the target age and how the toy is used.
2. Consult **Use the consultation desk for a new product.** Quarantine stations offer free advance consultations by appointment, including on whether a product is a designated toy.
3. Notify **At the quarantine station for the port or airport of entry.** Normally after the cargo arrives; an advance notification system accepts filings from seven days before arrival. A customs broker can file, but gathering the documents is the importer’s job.
4. Review and inspect **Document review, then inspection where required.** Voluntary inspections, typically at the first import, hold the cargo until results arrive and are paid by the importer. Ordered inspections apply where violations are likely; monitoring inspections are run and paid by the government.
5. Labs **A registered lab in Japan, or a listed foreign lab.** Reports are accepted from MHLW-registered labs in Japan or labs on MHLW’s list of foreign official laboratories. Reports must name the manufacturer and importer and identify the product.
6. Clear **Customs clearance after the certificate.** When the review finds no issue, a notification certificate is issued and customs clearance can proceed.

The practical test is whether the report demonstrably matches the goods. If fabric, eyes or print inks changed between the tested sample and production, the report no longer applies. Fixing fabric lots, eye components and inks before production is the shortest route.

## 6. Child PSC mark: mandatory for under-3 toys since December 2025

Under the amended Consumer Product Safety Act, toys for children under 3 manufactured or imported from December 25, 2025 must meet a national technical standard and carry age and usage warnings. Retailers may not sell under-3 toys without the child PSC mark. Products made or imported before that date can still be sold without it.

Notification

**The manufacturer or importer registers.** A business notification to METI before starting, with online filing through the government’s product safety portal.

Technical standard

**Physical safety.** Covers swallowing small parts, strangulation by cords, suffocation by covering the mouth and nose, and sharp edges and points.

Inspection and records

**The notifying business checks.** Conformity has to be inspected, and inspection records made and kept, by the business that filed the notification.

Labels

**Child PSC mark, age, warnings.** The round child PSC mark, plus the target age and warnings such as adult supervision in Japanese. Numbers, symbols or foreign-language labels alone are not accepted.

Plush sold for babies or children under 3 should be prepared under this system. In production, the focus is on plastic eyes and noses that must not come off, ribbon and cord lengths, and seams that must not open and release filling. Check METI’s infant toy page for the current scope and technical standard.

Graded 3 and over?

A toy for ages 3 and up can still fall under the Food Sanitation Act, which covers children under 6. Toys with small parts usually also carry a choking warning. Set the age grade at the design stage.

## 7. ST mark: not a law, often a condition of sale

The ST mark is the Japan Toy Association’s voluntary safety mark. It is shown on toys that pass third-party testing to the ST standard (ST2016), which covers toys for children under 14 and was revised to its 4th edition in 2022. ST-marked toys are backed by a liability compensation scheme.

It is not a legal requirement, but mass retailers and toy chains often make it a condition of purchase. Confirm with the buyer whether the ST mark is required as soon as the channel is known, and build it into the test plan.

## 8. Country of origin and Japanese labeling

Imported goods must show where they were made. The Consumer Affairs Agency’s notice on misleading country-of-origin representations, under the Premiums and Representations Act, treats as misleading any labeling on foreign goods that makes the origin hard to identify, such as another country’s name or flag, or labeling mainly in Japanese. Under the Customs Act, goods with false or misleading origin marks cannot be imported.

- State the origin clearly: “ベトナム製” or “Made in Vietnam”.
- The more a package leads with a Japanese brand name or place names, the clearer the origin statement needs to be.
- Show the target age, warnings and the importer’s or seller’s name and contact details in Japanese.
- Under-3 toys carry the round child PSC mark in a visible place on the product or packaging.

## 9. Duty, consumption tax and test costs

In Japan’s applied tariff schedule, toys under HS 9503.00, including plush, are duty-free at the general rate, and the rates under the agreements that cover Vietnam (AJCEP, the Japan–Vietnam EPA, CPTPP and RCEP) are also zero. On duty, China-made and Vietnam-made plush are equal; the reasons to choose Vietnam are quality, supply stability and diversification.

| Cost | When | What to check |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Import duty | At import | HS 9503.00 is duty-free (applied tariff schedule, April 2026). Confirm classification with your broker. |
| Import consumption tax | At import | 10% of the taxable value, including local consumption tax. |
| Food Sanitation Act tests | First import and as directed | Voluntary and ordered inspections are paid by the importer, priced per test item. |
| Child PSC and ST testing | Before production | Technical-standard checks, ST test fees and timing. |
| Ocean freight and delivery | After shipment | Ho Chi Minh City (Cat Lai) to a Japanese port, clearance and delivery to the warehouse. |

As an indication, the Japan Food Research Laboratories price list (June 2025) shows ¥20,000 per sample for the phthalate test on plasticized parts and ¥5,000 for the colorant migration test, both before tax and for import testing. Every extra part and color adds samples, so keeping the first design’s components lean is cost control.

The [Japan export checklist](https://takarahq.com/export/japan) summarizes these rules on one page, next to the guides for [other markets](https://takarahq.com/export) .

## 10. Quality control for Japan: from needle detection to licensor approval

Japanese buyers expect legal compliance and a fine finish. That expectation is one reason Vietnamese factories do well with Japanese orders, but it only works when the requirements are written down at the start.

Needle detection

**No broken needles.** Many Japanese buyers require metal detection of sewn goods, plush included, before shipment. Put the method and the records in the specification.

Appearance

**Symmetry, embroidery, loose threads.** A face changes with a millimeter of drift. Agree an approved sample and limit samples so inspection works to the same standard.

Packaging and barcodes

**Delivered shelf-ready.** Polybags, header cards, JAN barcodes and carton markings specified for Japanese logistics and stores.

Licensor approval

**Character goods are supervised.** Licensed plush is approved by the licensor at each sample stage. Color, proportions and expression are tightly specified, so approval rounds belong in the schedule.

Takara has handled OEM production for Tagger, the master licensee of Doraemon, Crayon Shin-chan and One Piece in Vietnam: 26 SKUs under Japanese licensor quality control. The precision Japanese licensed goods demand is the same standard Takara applies to custom plush for Japan.

## 11. Schedule and minimums for production in Vietnam

1. Brief **Decide the product and how it will sell.** Design, size, quantity, age grade and channel (retail, e-commerce, novelty). This decides whether the Food Sanitation Act, child PSC and ST mark apply.
2. Sample **First sample in 7–10 working days.** The sample fee is US$100–300 per design and includes up to 3 revision rounds. The approved sample becomes the production standard.
3. Testing **Fix the components, then test.** Colorants, plastic parts and coatings are tested on production components, and the reports are prepared.
4. Production **From 30 days after sample approval and deposit.** Production at a partner factory, inspection against the approved sample, needle detection and retail packing.
5. Ship and import **Ocean freight, notification, clearance.** FOB Cat Lai (Ho Chi Minh City) as standard; CIF or DDP quoted on request. The manufacturer documents needed for the import notification are handed over before shipment.

The reference schedule is about 55 days from brief to delivery, plus ocean freight and import procedures. Custom plush for export starts at 1,000 pieces per design; testing is a fixed cost per design, which makes small export runs expensive. For a smaller start, the [ready-made catalogue](https://takarahq.com/plush-toys-oem) is an option; see the [MOQ guide](https://takarahq.com/insights-moq-guide) .

## 12. Eight common mistakes

1. **Setting the age grade late.** Under 6 or under 3 changes the procedures and tests. Decide it first, or labels and packaging are redone.
2. **Assuming “for adults” on the label is enough.** Designated-toy status is judged from design and sales channel too, not only the label.
3. **Not testing the dyed fabric.** The colorant standard reaches plush fabrics and embroidery threads.
4. **Reusing US or EU reports.** EN 71 and ASTM F963 reports do not replace testing to Japan’s Food Sanitation Act specifications.
5. **Changing components after sampling.** The report no longer matches the goods, and the shipment stops at inspection.
6. **Missing child PSC on under-3 toys.** Goods imported from December 25, 2025 cannot be sold without the mark.
7. **Vague origin labeling.** The more Japanese the package looks, the clearer “Made in Vietnam” must be.
8. **Thinking the notification is one-off.** Designated toys are notified at every import.

## 13. How Takara runs a Japan order

Takara does not own factories and holds no certifications. It assigns production to vetted partner factories in Vietnam, and accredited labs do the testing. Takara’s job is to map the Japanese rules and the buyer’s conditions at the start, then line up the factory, components, tests and documents before production.

- At inquiry: age grade, channel and the rules that apply (Food Sanitation Act, child PSC, ST mark).
- Components and specifications that are easy to test, with tests run on production components.
- Manufacturer documents for the import notification (materials, coatings and plasticizers, age grade) in English and Japanese.
- Inspection against the approved sample, needle detection, retail packing and carton marks.

Track record includes Pokémon goods as an official licensee, OEM production for Tagger, and ThreeSixty Group’s US program of 120,000 plush dolls delivered to Walmart and Target. See [custom plush](https://takarahq.com/plush-toys) for specifications and projects.

## 14. Frequently asked questions

**Do plush toys fall under Japan’s Food Sanitation Act?**

Most plush for children under 6 counts as an “animal toy” or “doll”, which are designated toys under the Food Sanitation Act. Plush too large or heavy for a small child to put in the mouth, keychains and phone straps are excluded. Status is judged from labeling, design and where the product is sold.

**Is an import notification needed every time plush is imported into Japan?**

Yes. Designated toys imported for sale need a notification to the quarantine station at every import, even if the same product is already sold in Japan.

**Does plush need the child PSC mark in Japan?**

Toys for children under 3 manufactured or imported from December 25, 2025 must meet the technical standard, carry age and warning labels in Japanese and show the child PSC mark. Plush sold for babies or children under 3 should be prepared for it.

**Is the ST mark mandatory in Japan?**

No. It is the Japan Toy Association’s voluntary mark for toys that pass third-party testing, but retailers often require it, so check with your buyer.

**What is Japan’s import duty on plush toys from Vietnam?**

Toys under HS 9503.00 are duty-free at both the general and EPA rates. Import consumption tax of 10% applies. Confirm classification with your customs broker.

**Can US or EU test reports be used in Japan?**

No. EN 71 and ASTM F963 reports do not replace testing to the Food Sanitation Act specifications, which is done at an MHLW-registered lab in Japan or a lab on MHLW’s list of foreign official laboratories.

**What is the minimum order for custom plush made in Vietnam for Japan?**

Through Takara, custom plush for export, Japan included, starts at 1,000 pieces per design. The sample fee is US$100–300 per design and includes up to 3 revision rounds.

**How long does it take to get custom plush from Vietnam to Japan?**

The first sample takes 7–10 working days and production starts from 30 days after sample approval and deposit. The reference schedule is about 55 days from brief to delivery, plus ocean freight, the import notification and customs clearance.

## Sources

Checked on 9 November 2026 against Japanese government and industry sources. This guide is general information for planning, not legal advice; confirm the treatment of a specific product with a quarantine station consultation desk, METI, your customs broker or a test lab.

1. [MIPRO, Toy import and sales procedures (2025, Japanese)](https://www.mipro.or.jp/Document/hti0re0000000vi2-att/omocyayunyu.pdf)
2. [Osaka Quarantine Station, Toy specifications and standards (Japanese)](https://www.forth.go.jp/keneki/osaka/syokuhin-kanshi/toystandard.html)
3. [Japan Food Research Laboratories, Toy specifications and test fees from June 1, 2025 (Japanese)](https://www.jfrl.or.jp/storage/file/toy_20250625.pdf)
4. [Consumer Affairs Agency, Q&A on the scope of designated toys (Japanese)](https://www.caa.go.jp/policies/policy/standards_evaluation/appliance/assets/20080812-1_1.pdf)
5. [MHLW, List of foreign official laboratories (Japanese)](https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/kenkou_iryou/shokuhin/yunyu_kanshi/index_00019.html)
6. [METI, New regulation for infant toys (Japanese)](https://www.meti.go.jp/product_safety/kodomo/gangu_kisei.html)
7. [Consumer Affairs Agency, Child safety mail Vol.677: child PSC mark (Jan 23, 2026, Japanese)](https://www.caa.go.jp/policies/policy/consumer_safety/child/project_001/mail/20260123/)
8. [BOKEN, Infant toys and the PSC mark (Japanese)](https://www.boken.or.jp/find_items/lifestyle_goods/nyuyoujiyouseihin/43782/)
9. [Japan Toy Association, ST mark (Japanese)](https://www.toys.or.jp/jigyou_st_top.html)
10. [STC, Japan toy safety standard ST2016 revised to the 4th edition (2022)](https://stc.group/getfile/index/action/images/slug/2022-40-japan-toy-safety-standard-st-2016-is-revised-to-the-4th-edition)
11. [Japan Toy Association, Domestic toy market by category, fiscal 2025 (Japanese)](https://www.toys.or.jp/pdf/2026/2025_data_10bunya.pdf)
12. [Japan Toy Association, Statistics (Japanese)](https://www.toys.or.jp/toukei_siryou_data.html)
13. [METI, Interim report of the study group on the value of toys (June 2025, Japanese)](https://www.meti.go.jp/press/2025/06/20250630006/20250630006-2.pdf)
14. [Japan Customs, Applied tariff schedule, Chapter 95 (April 1, 2026)](https://www.customs.go.jp/tariff/2026_04_01/data/j_95.htm)
15. [Consumer Affairs Agency, Misleading representations of country of origin (Japanese)](https://www.caa.go.jp/policies/policy/representation/fair_labeling/representation_regulation/case_005/)
16. [JETRO, Country-of-origin labeling rules (Japanese)](https://www.jetro.go.jp/world/qa/04M-100410.html)

Author

**Amy Nguyen** CEO & Co-founder, Takara

CEO & Co-founder of Takara, a merchandise manufacturing partner in Ho Chi Minh City since 2013, focused on licensed merchandise and corporate gifts.

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About this guide

Japan’s plush market grew 38% in a year. What it takes to sell Vietnam-made plush there: the import notification, specifications, the new child PSC mark, labeling and the quality Japanese buyers expect.

Topic

Importing plush into Japan, rules and QC

Coverage

Japan: Food Sanitation Act, Consumer Product Safety Act and more

Rules checked

9 Nov 2026

Sources

16 public sources

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