Ever thought of entering the Japanese ecommerce market—but worried about language, logistics, or cultural barriers?
You're not alone!
We analyzed supplier networks, logistics data, and statistics to give you the clearest, most complete guide to dropshipping in Japan—no guesswork needed.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
- Why dropshipping in Japan is different from other countries
- What unique challenges you’ll face (and how to solve them)
- Which suppliers offer the fastest shipping to Japan
- Whether Japan is worth it for your business in 2025
Let’s unpack what you need to succeed with dropshipping in Japan—starting with the biggest challenges!
7 Challenges of dropshipping in Japan
Before you start dropshipping in Japan, it's important to know the challenges you might face.
Doing business here isn't always easy, especially if you're new to the country.
In this section, I'll explain seven challenges you'll likely encounter, so you can better prepare yourself!
1. Limited local dropshipping suppliers
One of the first big challenges you'll notice when dropshipping in Japan is finding local suppliers.
Unlike in countries like the US or China, Japan doesn't have many companies that specifically offer dropshipping.
Most suppliers here prefer the traditional wholesale business, where they sell products in bulk rather than one-by-one.
This means you'll often need to look for suppliers outside Japan, which can lead to longer shipping times and extra headaches.
If you understand Japanese, there are a few local options available, but they are hard to find and often only have products in specific niches.
For example, Yunomi is a company that specializes in Japanese tea:
Still, when you look at their dropshipping page, you'll find that they're not looking for frequent one-by-one purchases:
Because of this, most dropshippers selling to Japanese customers usually rely on suppliers based overseas, like AliExpress or CJdropshipping.
These suppliers offer a wide range of products, but the shipping times are a bit longer and the product quality isn't always guaranteed.
The key takeaway here is that you must be ready to spend more time looking for the right suppliers.
And if you find a good local supplier, build a strong relationship—they're rare and can help you greatly improve your customer satisfaction in Japan!
2. Longer shipping times from abroad (but not as bad as you might think!)
When dropshipping to Japan, one common worry is that shipping from other countries might take too long.
It’s true that Japanese customers usually expect fast shipping, especially because local marketplaces (like Amazon Japan and Rakuten) often deliver in just a few days.
But the good news is that international shipping isn't as slow as it used to be.
Suppliers like AliExpress now offer shipping methods that deliver to Japan within just 5–9 days:
This is a big improvement compared to the past, when it could easily take two weeks or more.
Of course, 5–9 days still isn't as fast as domestic Japanese sellers, who usually deliver in 1–3 days.
So, make sure your customers know exactly how long delivery will take and keep them updated with tracking information.
3. Complicated customs and import rules
When you ship products to Japan from abroad, your packages must clear customs.
Japanese customs officials carefully check products, paperwork, and invoices.
If the paperwork isn't clear or complete, customs might delay your shipment or even send it back.
Usually, the best way to tackle this challenge is to discuss it with your supplier.
Chances are they've shipped to Japan before, so they'll advise you if there are any specific steps you need to take. Plus, they will know what documents to include with the package!
4. Strong competition from Japanese sellers
One important challenge to know about is that Japan has big online marketplaces like Amazon Japan, Rakuten, and Yahoo Shopping:
These marketplaces are filled with trusted Japanese businesses that have been around for a long time.
And Japanese customers often prefer buying from local sellers they trust, especially if those sellers can offer faster shipping and familiar customer service.
This means that it’s harder for a new dropshipping store—especially one based abroad—to compete.
One of the best ways to overcome this competition is to offer unique or hard-to-find products.
If customers can't easily buy the products you're selling locally, they'll be more likely to order from your dropshipping store!
5. Different shopping preferences in Japan
Another important thing to understand is the typical Japanese customer.
Japanese buyers often have unique tastes, interests, and expectations when shopping online, so the products that sell very well in other countries might not do as well in Japan.
For example, Japanese customers typically pay close attention to product quality, packaging, and even presentation.
They often prefer items that look visually appealing, well-packaged, and professional.
Also, cute or "kawaii" products, minimalist designs, and practical everyday items usually perform very well here:
6. Limited English resources and support
Another challenge you'll probably face is the limited availability of English-language resources and support in Japan.
If you don't speak Japanese, finding information, communicating with suppliers, or getting help when something goes wrong can be tough.
Most Japanese businesses, including suppliers and logistics companies, primarily use Japanese for communication.
This means emails, websites, documentation, or customer support might only be available in Japanese.
So, if you're relying solely on English, you'll likely run into some communication hurdles!
7. Very high customer service expectations
In Japan, customers expect excellent customer service—sometimes even more than you might imagine.
If you're used to doing business in other countries, you might be surprised at just how high Japanese standards can be.
So what exactly does "excellent customer service" mean in Japan?
First, customers expect quick replies. Ideally, you should respond to questions or complaints within 24 hours, and even faster if possible.
Second, your communication needs to be clear, polite, and respectful. Japanese customers appreciate polite language and thoughtful responses, even when they're unhappy or requesting a return.
Third, Japanese customers appreciate detailed and helpful support. If they have a problem, they expect a clear solution, not just a simple apology. Providing step-by-step instructions or offering replacements quickly can make a huge difference.
Finally, Japanese customers often expect an easy and friendly return process. If a customer wants to return or exchange an item, your policy should be simple, fast, and transparent.
If you do all these things well, you can quickly build trust, gain repeat customers, and stand out from competitors.
5 Dropshipping suppliers with the fastest shipping to Japan
Are you excited now, but still unsure about the best dropshipping suppliers in Japan?
No worries!
In this section, I'll introduce you to five great dropshipping suppliers that offer fast shipping to Japan. Some of these suppliers are (partly) based in Japan, while others are located in nearby countries like China.
But first, there’s something important to mention: Since the main language in Japan is Japanese, many local suppliers only have Japanese websites.
So, if you're comfortable with Japanese, I highly recommend doing some of your own research on Google or local marketplaces to find even more amazing suppliers.
Without further ado, let's start:
1. Printful - Best for products printed in Japan
| Our Printful Rating: | 4.8 out of 5.0 |
| Niche | Print on demand |
| Products shipped from | Worldwide (with a production facility in Japan) |
| Product prices | High |
| Product quality | High |
| Product catalog size | Large |
| Delivery time | 6-10 Business days |
| Main features | - High quality; only 0.24% of Printful's orders are reshipped - Excellent support - Custom branding with packaging, pack-ins, packing slips, and more |
| Pricing | $0 / $24.99 per month |
| User reviews | 4.7 out of 5.0 on Trustpilot |
Printful is one of the most popular print on demand (POD) dropshipping companies.
If you’re not sure what that is, then check out the difference between ‘normal’ dropshipping vs. POD here.
With Printful, you can design your own clothing items, including t-shirts, hoodies, swimwear, leggings, hats, and much more!
As Printful grew over the years, they now have fulfillment centers all over the world:
Since Printful partnered with one of the leading manufacturing companies in Japan, you can now use them as your Japanese dropshipping supplier!
Using Printful's partner fulfillment center in Amakusa, Japan, you can achieve delivery times of just one to three business days.
Pros
- Beyond the basics. Almost all POD suppliers offer standard clothing items like T-shirts or hoodies, but Printful also offers more unique items like leggings and swimwear.
- Automated fulfillment. Once you get an order, it gets sent to Printful automatically!
- Warehousing & fulfillment service. Printful offers a warehousing & fulfillment service, so if you have a product that is selling a lot, it may be worth producing it beforehand and storing it in one of Printful’s warehouses.
- Partnered with BASE. Printful's BASE integration is exclusively available for customers in Japan, and it enables local artists to monetize their art and sell premium products on a platform they trust!
Cons
- Expensive products. Printful cares about high-quality products, but this does come at a price.
- Long processing times. Printful's processing times range from two to five business days as the custom product must be manufactured first.
- No refunds for orders in the wrong size or color. Since each product is unique, it will cost you money each time a customer orders something in the wrong size or color, as Printful won’t refund it.
How do you connect Printful to your store?
Printful has lots of available integrations. You can learn how to connect Printful to your store on their website here!
Pricing
Printful is generally free, but there are two paid monthly memberships available for extra perks:
Printful's memberships are Printful Growth and Printful Business, and here is an overview of them:
Full Review: Printful Review: The Key to High-Quality POD Products?
2. CJdropshipping - Best for additional dropshipping services
| Our CJdropshipping Rating: | 4.8 out of 5.0 |
| Niche | General |
| Products shipped from | China (mostly) |
| Product prices | Low |
| Product quality | Made in China |
| Product catalog size | Large |
| Delivery time | 3-7 Business days |
| Main features | - Automated order fulfillment - No monthly membership fee - Additional dropshipping services |
| Pricing | Free |
| User reviews | 4.9 out of 5.0 on Trustpilot |
CJdropshipping is an all-in-one dropshipping supplier that can help you source and ship your products.
They have access to warehouses in various countries but ship most products from China.
For shipping to Japan, the standard shipping time is 3-7 days with CJPacket, so it's quite fast!
Pros
- Fast shipping. CJdropshipping offers reliable shipping times from China because it has its own shipping lines, like CJPacket.
- No monthly membership fee. When dropshipping with CJdropshipping, you won't have to pay any setup fees, storage fees, or monthly fees.
- Sourcing service. Have you seen an awesome product on Amazon Japan but don't see it on CJdropshipping? If so, you can post a sourcing request, and CJdropshipping's team will try to source it for you!
- Advanced features. With CJdropshipping’s Shopify app, you can access advanced features like automated order fulfillment.
Cons
- High shipping costs for express deliveries. Although CJdropshipping offers even faster shipping options, they're quite expensive, so you must be selling high-margin products to make it worth it.
How do you connect CJdropshipping to your store?
You can install CJdropshipping's Shopify app to connect it to your store:
For a few of the Shopify alternatives, CJdropshipping can also be connected to your store using their web app.
Pricing
CJdropshipping does not charge any monthly subscription fees!
Full Review: CJdropshipping Review: Better Than AliExpress? (& Reliable?)
3. AliExpress - Best for beginners
| Our AliExpress Rating: | 4.6 out of 5.0 |
| Niche | General |
| Products shipped from | China (mostly) |
| Product prices | Low |
| Product quality | Made in China |
| Product catalog size | Large |
| Delivery time | 4-8 Business days |
| Main features | - Buy directly from Chinese manufacturers - Massive product catalog - Relatively fast shipping |
| Pricing | Free |
| User reviews | 2.6 out of 5.0 on Trustpilot |
If you are looking for a dropshipping supplier in China, AliExpress is still one of the best places to look.
Dropshipping with AliExpress is still a profitable business model in 2025, but you need the right knowledge to find the best sellers and get the fastest shipping times.
Another piece of good news is that the shipping times on AliExpress are not too slow nowadays.
For example, the shipping time to Japan for this product is 5-9 days:
Pros
- Cashback. If you didn’t know already, you can get 4.3% – 5.9% cashback on all your AliExpress orders, which is great for your product’s pricing strategy. To read how, check out this article.
- Easy refunds for missing orders. If a product you bought on AliExpress doesn't get delivered, you can easily start a dispute. More often than not, you will get your money refunded.
- AliExpress dropshipping center. The AliExpress Dropshipping Center is a tool that helps you analyze products before selling them and more!
- Relatively fast shipping. Shipping to Japan is relatively fast at 5-9 days on average.
Cons
- Transparent. Because AliExpress is so popular, competitors or customers will often try to find your product on the platform, making sales harder.
- Requires a supporting app. The best way to use AliExpress for dropshipping is to add a third-party app like DSers.
How do you connect AliExpress to your store?
You will need a separate app to connect AliExpress with your store.
To do this, you can use DSers or one of its awesome alternatives!
Pricing
AliExpress is free to use.
Full Review: AliExpress Dropshipping: A 20-Step Getting Started Guide
4. HyperSKU - Best for personalized services
| Our HyperSKU Rating: | 4.6 out of 5.0 |
| Niche | General |
| Products shipped from | China |
| Product prices | Low |
| Product quality | Made in China |
| Product catalog size | Large |
| Delivery time | 3-7 Business days |
| Main features | - No MOQs - Branding service - Automated |
| Pricing | Free |
| User reviews | 4.9/5.0 on the Shopify App Store |
Instead of finding the best supplier yourself, you can also partner with a specialist who can source, store, pack, and ship products for your dropshipping store.
This is called working with a private dropshipping agent.
HyperSKU is a great example of a dropshipping agent that can help you with things like sourcing products from factories, performing quality control, and customizing your packages:
HyperSKU could also help you explore different shipping methods to Japan and find one that best suits your business.
Pros
- Better deals. HyperSKU sources directly from reputable factories in China, guaranteeing competitive pricing, high quality, and consistent supply. They also offer worldwide express shipping, with delivery times of 5-12 days.
- Automated. HyperSKU offers a feature that lets you fulfill orders in bulk. Plus, the tracking numbers and order statuses are synced to your store automatically!
- Refund policy. HyperSKU offers a 100% refund in case of defective products or missing orders.
Cons
- No 24/7 support. Although HyperSKU assigns you a dedicated account manager, they don't offer 24/7 support.
- Products could be relatively expensive. HyperSKU doesn't charge monthly fees for their service, so they will likely increase the prices of their products a bit. HyperSKU used to charge a 2% handling fee, but it is waived at the moment of writing.
How do you connect HyperSKU to your store?
HyperSKU can be connected to Shopify and WooCommerce stores using their app:
Pricing
HyperSKU does not have any monthly subscription fees!
Full Review: HyperSKU Review: Is This Dropshipping Supplier Worth It?
5. SaleHoo - Best supplier directory
| Our SaleHoo Rating: | 3.8 out of 5.0 |
| Niche | General |
| Product prices | Average |
| Product quality | Average |
| Product catalog size | Medium |
| Delivery time | 3-6 Business days |
| Main features | - 8,000 Pre-vetted suppliers worldwide - Negotiate prices - 100% satisfaction guarantee |
| Pricing | $67 per year or $127 for a lifetime |
| User reviews | 4.3 out of 5.0 on Trustpilot |
We've added SaleHoo to this list because it's a directory where you can find over 8,000 dropshipping suppliers from all over the world, including Japan!
Pros
- Vetted suppliers. SaleHoo checks each supplier extensively before putting them in their network. This way, you will know that you will be working with a good dropshipping supplier!
- Communicate with suppliers. You can communicate with suppliers directly through SaleHoo's dashboard.
- Huge (supplier & product) catalog. SaleHoo features over 8,000 suppliers and 2.5 million+ unique products to sell online.
- 100% satisfaction guarantee. Not happy with SaleHoo's service after purchasing? Get your money back using their 100% satisfaction guarantee!
Cons
- No advanced features. SaleHoo is just a directory of dropshipping suppliers, which means they don't offer any features to make integrating your store with a supplier easier.
How do you connect SaleHoo to your store?
Again, since SaleHoo is a supplier directory, this will depend on the supplier you will be working with.
Some suppliers will require you to send them orders manually, while others will offer an integration with your store if it is on an ecommerce platform like Shopify.
Pricing
To get access to SaleHoo’s supplier directory, you will need their “SaleHoo Directory” plan, which costs $67 per year or $127 for a lifetime plan.
The great thing about SaleHoo’s pricing is that they offer a $1 trial (7 days), which is an excellent option for people to see if SaleHoo has suppliers with the products they are looking for!
Full review: SaleHoo Review: Is It the Best Supplier Directory in 2025?
Is Japan good for dropshipping?
To find out whether Japan is good for dropshipping, we are going to research the following topics:
- The level of logistics development
- The GDP per capita
- The population size
- The social media penetration
Let's get started by looking at this infographic:
We will go over it in more detail below:
Does Japan offer you access to fast shipping methods?
To find out if Japan offers fast shipping methods, we will look at Japan's logistics performance index.
This is a tool that tracks the performance of the logistics chain for many countries.
A country that scores well on the logistics performance index has efficient custom clearance processes, a great transport-related infrastructure, and competitively priced shipments.
Below, you can see a ranking of the logistics performance index for the world's top countries:
As you can see, Japan scores pretty well. It is placed 13th in the ranking, while other well-developed countries such as Norway and Australia score lower.
This leads us to the conclusion that Japan definitely offers you access to fast shipping methods. They won't be the fastest in the world, but they will definitely be sufficient!
Do people in Japan have a high disposable income?
From a simple Google search, we learn that each capita in Japan earns around $37.2k.
When comparing this to other popular dropshipping countries such as the UK ($49.4k), Germany ($54.3k), and France ($44.7k), the conclusion can be drawn that Japan is lower, but pretty close!
As an added bonus, the Japanese actually spend a significant percentage of that income on ecommerce purchases.
A report aiming to answer the question "Who spends the most online?" concluded that Japan ranks 8th in the world, with an ecommerce spend per capita of around $1,488:
Knowing this, I think we can conclude that disposable income in Japan won't be a restriction for your dropshipping store!
Are there enough potential customers in Japan?
Let's find out by looking at the following two statistics:
- Japan has a population of around 123 million people.
- Japan's B2C ecommerce market has more than doubled in size within the last decade.
For comparison, a country like the United States has a population of around 346 million people, while a country like the United Kingdom has a population of around 69 million people.
With a population of 123 million people, you definitely won't have any problems finding potential customers to target for your dropshipping store in Japan!
Can you reach customers in Japan with online marketing?
Okay, we have fast shipping methods and a large target market with a high disposable income, but can you reach that market with online marketing?
Well, Japan has a social network penetration of 78.2%. This means that roughly three out of the four inhabitants of Japan can be reached with online marketing campaigns:
While it's not the highest social network penetration (some countries have scores of 80+%), it's definitely not terrible.
Actually, Japan has a higher social network penetration than the United States, so reaching your Japanese customers with online marketing shouldn't be your biggest struggle!
All in all, Japan is a great country for dropshipping. There are many consumers with high disposable incomes, and fast shipping methods are available to get your package to the customer safely and quickly.
Alternative approach: ecommerce with a 3PL in Japan
If you want to start an online store in Japan, there’s another option you might like: using a third-party logistics (3PL) company in Japan.
A 3PL company stores your products in their warehouses in Japan, packs your orders, and ships them directly to your customers.
An example is Ezbuy:
This way, you can offer faster local shipping (usually within 1–3 days), which will satisfy your customers and help you compete with other Japanese sellers.
However, keep in mind that you'll need to invest upfront in inventory, unlike traditional dropshipping where you only pay suppliers after you sell products. Also, storage and fulfillment fees from the 3PL will add some extra costs.
FAQs about dropshipping in Japan
More questions? Take a look at these FAQs!
Can you do dropshipping from Japan to other countries?
Absolutely! You can dropship products from Japan to customers around the world. Just keep in mind that international shipping costs might be higher.
Do you have to speak Japanese to do dropshipping in Japan?
Not necessarily, but knowing Japanese definitely helps! If you don't speak Japanese, you'll need to use translation tools to handle communication with suppliers or customers. However, many international suppliers and platforms (like AliExpress or Shopify) offer English support.
What are the most popular payment gateways in Japan?
In Japan, the most popular payment methods are credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, JCB), convenience store payments (Konbini), and digital wallets like PayPay, LINE Pay, and Rakuten Pay.
What are the benefits of using a dropshipping supplier based in Japan?
Using a supplier based in Japan gives you faster shipping times, better product quality control, fewer customs issues, and higher customer trust!
Great dropshipping suppliers in other countries
Not sure yet about dropshipping to Japan? Or are you interested in scaling further to other countries?
We’ve got you covered! Check out the lists below to find great suppliers in different countries:
- Best Dropshipping Suppliers in India
- Best Dropshipping Suppliers in Canada
- Best Dropshipping Suppliers in Europe
- Best Dropshipping Suppliers in Malaysia
- Best Dropshipping Suppliers in Australia
- Best Dropshipping Suppliers in South Africa
- Best Dropshipping Suppliers in New Zealand
- Best Dropshipping Suppliers in the United States
- Best Dropshipping Suppliers in the United Kingdom
Plus, don’t forget to check our guide on the best countries for dropshipping!
Conclusion
Now you know the most important things about dropshipping in Japan!
As we've covered, Japan offers exciting opportunities, but there are also challenges to consider.
The good news is that with some smart planning and a little patience, you can overcome these challenges.
Good luck!
Want to learn more about dropshipping?
Ready to move your dropshipping store to the next level? Check out the articles below:
- How to Start Dropshipping in 2025: Your 7-Step Guide
- How Much Does It Cost to Start Dropshipping in 2025?
- The Ultimate Dropshipping Guide for 2025 (From A to Z)
Plus, don’t forget to check out our in-depth guide on how to start dropshipping here!
