Quality Inspection in India for Japanese Importers

Key takeaways

Garments, footwear and bags make up most of what Japan buys from India in our categories; furniture was only US$9 million in 2025.
Japanese textile labels list every fibre with its percentage, use JIS L 0001 care symbols and name the labeller, usually the Japanese importer, with an address or phone number.
Japan Customs does not permit import of goods with a false or misleading origin indication until the mark is removed or corrected, so every origin mark should agree.
Importers selling goods in containers or packaging can carry duties under the Containers and Packaging Recycling Act, so record packaging materials per item at the factory.

What Japan buys from India

Japan is a garment and accessories market for Indian suppliers, not a furniture market. India shipped US$423 million of the goods we inspect to Japan in calendar year 2025, up 15% on 2024. Only US$75 million of that was home goods.

Source: UN Comtrade, India as reporter, calendar year 2025, FOB.
Category	India's exports to Japan, 2025 (US$ million)
Woven apparel (HS 62)	176
Knitted apparel (HS 61)	68
Home textiles (HS 6301–6304)	45
of which bed, table and kitchen linen (6302)	32
Footwear (HS 64)	41
Bags and travel goods	39
Rugs and carpets (HS 57)	9
Furniture and lighting (HS 9401, 9403–9405)	9

Handicrafts moved the other way. India's handicraft export council reports US$16.02 million to Japan in fiscal year 2024-25, down 28.18% on the year before (EPCH Annual Report 2024-25).

Where these goods are made in India

Woven garments: Gurgaon, Noida and Faridabad in Delhi NCR, all Towns of Export Excellence for apparel, and the Jaipur cluster for hand block-printed cotton (Sanganeri and Bagru hand block prints are registered geographical indications). See woven shirt inspection and hand block-printed textile inspection.
Knitwear: Tirupur, Tamil Nadu, the Town of Export Excellence for hosiery. See T-shirt and knit top inspection.
Footwear and leather bags: Agra, Kanpur and Ambur, the Towns of Export Excellence for leather products. See leather shoe inspection and leather handbag inspection.
Bed linen: Panipat, the Town of Export Excellence for bed linen. See bed sheet and duvet cover inspection.

Delhi NCR and Jaipur have inspectors based there (US$99 travel per man-day). Tirupur, Agra, Kanpur, Ambur and Panipat are charged at actual travel cost, quoted before you book.

Japanese quality labels: what to check before shipment

There is no Japan checklist in our import compliance guides yet, so here is the rule that matters most at a garment or textile factory. The Household Goods Quality Labeling Act (Act No. 104 of 1962) requires quality labels on household goods designated by Cabinet Order: textile, plastic, electrical and miscellaneous goods whose quality is hard for a consumer to judge at purchase. The labeller can be the manufacturer, the seller or a contractor.

For textiles, the Textile Goods Quality Labeling Regulation (Consumer Affairs Agency Public Notice No. 4 of 2017) asks for:

each fibre named, with its percentage;
home-care symbols under JIS L 0001 for washing, bleaching, drying, ironing and professional care;
the wording for water repellency, only where the goods are sold as water-repellent;
the labeller's name and address or telephone number.

Its list includes shirts, trousers, dresses, sweaters, socks, towels, blankets, sheets, pillow covers, bedspreads, curtains and pile floor coverings. US trade guidance (November 2025) notes that most labels are needed at the point of sale, not at customs, and Japanese importers often apply them after clearance.

When the tags are sewn in India, we check the Japanese text against your approved file, that fibre percentages add up to 100 and match the fabric on the order, that the care symbols are the set you approved, and that the labeller's details are present. Fibre content itself is confirmed by an accredited lab.

Origin marks, azo dyes and packaging

Origin marks. Under Article 71 of Japan's Customs Act, goods carrying a direct or indirect false or misleading indication of origin are not permitted to be imported until the indication is removed or corrected. The inspector checks that "Made in India" on the label, hangtag, polybag and carton agree, and that no other country name appears that could mislead. See product labelling and country of origin.

Azo dyes. Since 1 April 2016, Japan's Act on Control of Household Products Containing Harmful Substances limits 24 aromatic amines released from azo dyes to 30 µg per gram in listed textiles and leather goods, such as underwear, nightwear, bedding and towels. This is a lab test; we pull and seal samples and check that the report matches the shade and fabric shipped. See azo dyes and restricted substances.

Packaging. The Containers and Packaging Recycling Act (Act No. 112 of 1995) treats importing goods for sale in containers or packaging as using that packaging, so importers can carry recycling obligations; small enterprises are excluded. Separately, METI's identification marks for plastic and paper packaging are often printed in India. We can record each item's polybag, hangtag, tissue and carton by material and check that any printed marks match your artwork.

Trade agreement, time zones and booking

Trade agreement. The India–Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) has been in force since 2011, according to India's Department of Commerce. Your broker decides whether a shipment qualifies; we can check that cartons and quantities match the invoice and packing list.

Time zones. India Standard Time is UTC+5:30 and Japan Standard Time UTC+9:00; neither uses daylight saving, so India is 3 hours 30 minutes behind all year. Our office hours, 9:30 am to 6:30 pm IST Monday to Saturday, run from 1:00 pm to 10:00 pm in Tokyo, so your afternoon overlaps the inspection day. The report, with photographs and a verdict of Cleared to load, Hold or Not cleared, follows within 24 hours after a supervisor's review.

Booking. A pre-shipment inspection costs US$249 per man-day: one inspector, one factory, one 8-hour day, report included, plus travel by band. For garments, a during-production inspection catches measurement and shade problems while they can still be fixed. Send your Japanese label files and size specifications when you book. See pricing or book an inspection.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Can your inspectors read Japanese labels?

Our inspectors work in English and Hindi. They compare the printed Japanese label with your approved file character by character and photograph every variant, so you can confirm the wording. Send the approved file with your booking.

Who is the labeller on a Japanese textile label?

The regulation allows the manufacturer, the seller or a contractor commissioned by either. In practice the Japanese importer or brand is often named. Whoever it is, the label must give a name and an address or telephone number.

Do Indian garments need Japanese labels before they leave India?

Not always. Labels are generally required at the point of sale, and many Japanese importers apply them after clearance. If tags are sewn at the factory in India, we check them during the inspection.

Can an inspection confirm fibre content or azo dye limits?

No. Both need an accredited lab. We can pull and seal samples during the inspection and check that the lab report matches the fabric and colours shipped. Lab testing coordination costs US$99 per order, with lab fees at cost.

Do you inspect furniture for Japan?

Yes, though Japan buys little furniture from India: US$9 million in 2025. The same pre-shipment checklist applies, with your packaging and label requirements added.

Know before it ships

Tell us the product, the factory's city and your ready date. We confirm the inspector, the notice time and the price before you book.

Book an inspection Check your city

Quality inspection in India for importers in Japan