Recently, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) issued an important notice to make major revisions to the filing system of electrical appliances. The new regulations will be officially implemented on December 25, 2025, mainly for the safety supervision of cross-border e-commerce products, requiring overseas sellers to assume more compliance responsibilities.
01 core revision content
1, the main responsibility change
The filing subject has changed from a Japanese importer to an overseas seller (such as a cross-border e-commerce enterprise in China). This means that China's cross-border e-commerce enterprises now need to be the subject of filing, and at the same time, a "domestic administrator" (a permanent resident in Japan) should be appointed in Japan to lead the filing process, and be responsible for handling product safety and regulatory affairs.
2, the new filing process steps
The filing process has been increased from two steps to three steps:
◆ Register GBiz-ID: The same company and the same person in charge only need to register once a year.
◆ Registration of domestic administrators in Japan: registered according to product dimensions, and each product needs to be registered separately once a year.
◆ Complete METI filing: register by product dimension, and each product needs to be filed separately once a year.
3. Compliance cost and operational complexity are improved.
The fee structure is divided into two categories according to the handling method (self-application/agency service), as follows (the fee is subject to the official or service provider's quotation at the time of actual handling):
◆ Self-application fee: GBiz-ID annual fee, and administrator and filing fee shall be paid separately every year.
◆ Agency service fee: If an agent is used, GBiz-ID fee includes the administrator's agency fee, but there is information asymmetry and stability risk.
Note: Based on the original process, the new regulations add two pre-links: "GBiz-id Registration" and "Domestic Administrator Qualification Registration", which significantly increases the compliance cost and operational complexity. Relevant enterprises need to make budget and process planning in advance.
4. Unity of PSE certificate and METI filing information
The new regulations clearly require that the PSE declaration of conformity certificate and METI filing information should be completely consistent, and the specific requirements are as follows:
◆ Certificate information requirements: The PSE declaration of conformity certificate must use the name of the e-commerce company as the applicant to ensure consistency with the subject information of "overseas merchants" filed by METI.
◆ Confirmation requirements of sales channels: Before applying for PSE certification, it is necessary to confirm with customers whether it is an online or offline sales channel. This information will directly affect the subsequent filing process and specific requirements of METI.
◆ Information consistency principle: PSE certificate, METI filing information and actual sales channels must be completely consistent, and any link information mismatch may lead to filing failure.
02 Scope of applicable products
★ Covers 457 types of electrical products, including:
116 kinds of high-risk products, namely "specific electrical appliances": such as power adapters, lithium batteries, air conditioners, refrigerators, microwave ovens (above 700W), hair dryers, etc. Must pass METI accredited laboratory testing certification to meet the standard requirements;
◆ 341 kinds of conventional products, namely "non-specific electrical appliances": such as LED bulbs, USB chargers, electric fans, electric blankets, etc. Self-declaration of compliance with standards is not required.
★ Other affected categories, including gas equipment and children's products, need to meet the technical standards and labeling requirements.
03 New Rules Key Time Nodes and Transition Arrangements
◆ December 25th, 2025: The new regulations came into effect, and the products on the shelves must strictly follow the requirements of the new regulations.
◆ Products that have been put on record before the implementation of the new regulations: It is recommended that they be put on the shelves as soon as possible. After being put on the shelves, they will not be controlled by the new regulations and can be sold according to the original model.
◆ Products put on the shelves after December 25th, 2025: We must re-apply for filing in strict accordance with the requirements of the new regulations, and unregistered products are prohibited from being put on the shelves.
Warm tips
The new Japanese METI registration regulations will come into effect on December 25, 2025. ZRLK advises relevant companies to take immediate action and complete compliance procedures such as product testing, certification applications, and selecting a Japanese representative as soon as possible to avoid risks such as platform delisting, customs detention, and market recalls. Our company has a professional technical team and extensive experience in product testing and certification. If you would like to learn more about the requirements for Japanese METI registration or if you have products that require METI registration, please feel free to contact us. Our engineers will assist you promptly!
