Tokyo, Japan
Sea freight in Tokyo
We book FCL and LCL sea freight for shippers and consignees in Tokyo, via Tokyo and Yokohama. Pre-carriage, on-carriage by road or rail and the customs entries are planned together with the ocean booking.
Airports, seaports and connections in Tokyo
- AirportNarita
NRT - AirportHaneda
HND - SeaportTokyo and Yokohama
Tokyo has two international airports. Narita International Airport (NRT), in Chiba Prefecture east of the city, is Japan's main international cargo gateway and handles most long-haul freighter traffic. Tokyo International Airport, better known as Haneda (HND), sits on Tokyo Bay close to the city centre and offers extensive belly capacity on passenger flights to Asia, North America and Europe. For sea freight, the Port of Tokyo and the neighbouring Port of Yokohama together form the Keihin port area on Tokyo Bay. We route each shipment through NRT or HND depending on the destination, the airline schedule and where in the Tokyo metropolitan area the goods are collected or delivered.
The Higashi-Kanto Expressway links central Tokyo with Narita, while Haneda is reached via the Shuto (Metropolitan) Expressway and its Bayshore Route. The Ken-O Expressway rings the outer metropolitan area and connects the Tomei, Chuo, Kan-Etsu and Tohoku expressways, so suppliers in Saitama, Kanagawa and northern Kanto can be collected without crossing the inner city. JR Freight runs container trains from the Tokyo Freight Terminal on the bay front to other regions of Japan.
Operational logistics facts for Tokyo
| Hub | Specialisation | Local advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Narita International Airport (NRT) | Long-haul freighter capacity, general cargo, dangerous goods, temperature-sensitive freight | Widest choice of freighter and belly connections into Japan |
| Haneda Airport (HND) | Belly cargo on passenger flights, urgent small shipments | Short distance to central Tokyo for time-critical deliveries |
| Port of Tokyo / Keihin ports | FCL and LCL to and from Asia, Europe and North America | Sea freight and customs clearance handled in one shipment file |
| Ota ward and Keihin industrial belt | Precision parts, machinery, electronics components | Pick-up and delivery arranged directly at supplier sites in the Tokyo area |
Industries in Tokyo and how we support them
Greater Tokyo is home to the headquarters of many Japanese electronics, pharmaceutical and trading companies, and to a dense base of precision machining and component suppliers, for example in Ota ward and along the Keihin industrial belt. Imports include high-value consumer goods, medical devices, semiconductor equipment parts and luxury products. Ziem Logistics supports these supply chains with air freight under our own air waybills via NRT and HND, Next Flight Out for production stoppages, On-Board Courier for prototypes and critical spare parts, and sea freight FCL/LCL via the Tokyo Bay ports. Customs clearance is handled by our Japanese network partner team under the Ziem Logistics brand.
FCL and LCL via Tokyo and Yokohama
Full containers are booked directly with the shipping line; for smaller volumes we use LCL consolidation services. Pre-carriage from Tokyo to Tokyo and Yokohama, or on-carriage after arrival, is arranged by road or rail as part of the same booking.
Customs clearance in Japan
Ziem network
Customs clearance in Japan is handled by a partner team in the Ziem network, under the Ziem Logistics brand and to our procedures.
For air freight to and from Japan we issue our own air waybills.
Importers in Japan need an importer code registered in NACCS (recommended) and, for some goods, product-specific notifications.
Frequently asked questions
Which port is used for sea freight to and from Tokyo?
Usually Tokyo and Yokohama. Depending on the shipping line and the destination, another port can be faster or more economical; we compare the options when quoting.