Japan and South Korea customs chiefs agree to deepen cooperation on smuggling and counterfeits
Japan's Director General of the Customs and Tariff Bureau, Mitsuhiro Teraoka, met Korea Customs Service head Lee Jong-wook at the Ministry of Finance on 29 October 2026. The two discussed cross-border e-commerce, counterfeit goods, drug smuggling and passenger data, and agreed to cooperate on each. They also confirmed that the 35th Japan-Korea Customs Cooperation Meeting will be held in Japan next year.
What does it mean?
Japan and South Korea's customs agencies will work more closely to stop illegal drugs, fake goods and risky parcels from crossing their border. For ordinary travelers and online shoppers, this means tighter checks on cross-border packages and passenger information sharing. The next full customs cooperation meeting is planned for Japan next year.
Who is affected?
Online shoppers sending or receiving cross-border parcels, travelers, and businesses dealing in intellectual property or imported goods.