Convenient news for expats sending parcels to the US

If you send gifts or packages back to friends and family in the U.S., I saw a useful update via Time Out Tokyo yesterday. Japan Post is once again accepting parcels to the States valued over USD $100.

The service had been suspended for higher-value packages since last year, which caused headaches for plenty of people trying to mail larger gifts, care packages, or online sales overseas. Thankfully, that restriction has now been lifted, but there's still a catch.

For packages worth between USD $100 and $800, senders now need to prepay the customs fees before shipping using an approved platform. Right now, the supported option is Zonos Prepay, which Japan Post outlines on its website. Items worth under USD $100, including letters, postcards, and lower-value parcels, aren't affected by the new rule and can still be sent normally.