This page describes standards, ports and documentation practice. It is not a claim of shipment history or of volume to this market — our published figures are only the ones we can evidence.
At a glance
| Standard cited | Japanese specifications cite JIS. JIS H4000 covers aluminum and aluminum alloy sheet, strip and plate; JIS H4100 covers extruded shapes. |
|---|---|
| Main container ports | Yokohama, Kobe, Osaka and Nagoya handle most Containerized imports. |
| Grades usually called for | 5052 is heavily used in Japanese fabrication and sheet metal work; 6063 for architectural extrusion; 1050 and 1070 for foil and fin stock; 2017 and 2024 in machining stock for precision work; A5052 and A6063 are the JIS-prefixed forms you will see on drawings. |
| Packaging & marking | Mill certificates tied to the heat are expected, and Japanese customers frequently request inspection records and, where the application justifies it, third-party attendance. |
| Inland leg and packing | Short transit helps, but expectations on surface condition, packing neatness and dimensional consistency are among the strictest in any market. |
Each line above is the opening of the detail section below it — nothing here is stated anywhere else on the page.
Standards
Which standard the drawing cites
Japanese specifications cite JIS. JIS H4000 covers aluminum and aluminum alloy sheet, strip and plate; JIS H4100 covers extruded shapes. The Japanese standards are well aligned in intent with ASTM and EN but are their own tables, and a Japanese customer reading a JIS table will expect properties reported against it.
Logistics
Ports and transit
Yokohama, Kobe, Osaka and Nagoya handle most Containerized imports. Transit from eastern Chinese ports is short, which makes Japan one of the faster routes and reduces the exposure window for transit-related surface issues.
Handling
Inland leg and packing
Short transit helps, but expectations on surface condition, packing neatness and dimensional consistency are among the strictest in any market. Material that would pass without comment elsewhere may be queried here. Budget for the packing specification to be looked at closely, and consider a pre-shipment sample for a first order.
Specification
Grades usually called for
5052 is heavily used in Japanese fabrication and sheet metal work; 6063 for architectural extrusion; 1050 and 1070 for foil and fin stock; 2017 and 2024 in machining stock for precision work; A5052 and A6063 are the JIS-prefixed forms you will see on drawings.
Documentation
Certificates and compliance
Mill certificates tied to the heat are expected, and Japanese customers frequently request inspection records and, where the application justifies it, third-party attendance. Documentation completeness is evaluated as part of supplier assessment, not just as paperwork.
Cost of getting it wrong
Four things that go wrong here
Treating a JIS drawing as satisfiable by an ASTM table without checking the property and tolerance numbers.
Under-specifying packing. Presentation is part of the acceptance criteria here, not an afterthought.
Not sending a pre-shipment sample on a first order, when one would have settled the acceptance standard cheaply.
Incomplete documentation sets, which read as a process weakness rather than an omission.
Send us the drawing
If you tell us which standard the drawing cites, we will say whether the quoted mill works to that table and whether the tolerance can be held — before you commit, not on the inspection report.
Trade measures and marking requirements change. We do not publish rates for that reason — we confirm the current position at quotation.
Before you ask
Aluminum into Japan — Questions Buyers Ask
Which standard do Japanese drawings cite?
JIS — JIS H4000 for aluminum sheet, strip and plate, and JIS H4100 for extruded shapes. They align in intent with ASTM and EN but are not interchangeable by default.
Which ports serve Japan?
Yokohama, Kobe, Osaka and Nagoya handle most containerized imports, with short transit from eastern Chinese ports.
Which grades are common in Japan?
5052 for fabrication and sheet metal, 6063 for architectural extrusion, 1050 and 1070 for foil and fin stock, and the 2xxx alloys for specific work.
What certificate do Japanese buyers expect?
Mill certificates tied to the heat, and frequently inspection records and — where justified — third-party attendance.
Is a pre-shipment sample expected?
On a first order, often yes. Not sending one when expected reads as a process weakness.
What matters most on a JIS order?
Do not treat a JIS drawing as satisfiable by an ASTM table without checking, and do not under-specify packing — presentation is part of the acceptance.
Elsewhere
Other markets
Each page covers what actually differs: which standard the drawing usually cites, which ports the cargo moves through, and what the customs paperwork expects.