Customs Duties
[Last Updated: July 14, 2026]
Will I have to pay customs or import charges for my order?
Yes. U.S. import duty applies to every shipment from Japan, regardless of the order amount. Duty is assessed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and collected by the shipping carrier (FedEx) at the time of delivery — it is not included in your order total and is not charged by Bass-Tokyo.
How much will it be?
Your duty is made up of two parts: a temporary Section 122 import surcharge that currently applies to goods from every country, plus the standard product duty (HTS rate) for the item category. Current estimates for the products we sell:
| Product category | HTS code | Section 122 surcharge | Product duty (HTS) | Estimated total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fishing reels | 9507.30.60 | 10.0% | 3.9% | 13.9% |
| Camera lenses | 9002.11.90 | 10.0% | 2.3% | 12.3% |
| Digital cameras | 8525.89.40 | 10.0% | Free (0%) | 10.0% |
| Other items (fishing line, etc.) | varies | 10.0% | determined by CBP | 10.0%+ |
Example: a $500.00 fishing reel → $50.00 (Section 122 surcharge, 10.0%) + $19.50 (product duty, 3.9%) = $69.50 estimated duty.
You will also see this estimate, with the same breakdown, on every product page and in your cart before you check out.
What are these two charges?
- Section 122 import surcharge (10%) — a temporary surcharge on imports from all countries, in effect since February 24, 2026. It replaced the previous "reciprocal" tariffs (which had set Japan at 15%) after the U.S. Supreme Court struck those down on February 20, 2026. This surcharge is currently scheduled to expire on July 24, 2026. What replaces it, if anything, has not yet been confirmed, so the rate applied to your shipment may differ from the estimate above.
- Product duty (HTS / MFN rate) — the standard U.S. duty rate for the product category. This part has not changed.
Will my order be subject to the high 50% steel/aluminum tariff?
No. U.S. Customs briefly applied a 50% Section 232 tariff to fishing reels because of their aluminum content, but this has been officially resolved.
Under the Presidential Proclamation effective April 6, 2026, fishing reels (HS Code 9507.30) were explicitly added to the Exemption List (Annex II) and are exempt from the 50% Section 232 tariffs. Digital cameras (8525.89) and camera lenses (9002.11) are not on the Section 232 lists and are not subject to these additional duties.
Official White House announcement: Strengthening Actions Taken to Adjust Imports of Aluminum, Steel, and Copper
If you believe a 50% rate has been charged in error, please contact us or the carrier to request a correction due to a customs classification error.
Are there any other fees?
In addition to duty, the carrier may charge a small customs clearance, brokerage, or disbursement fee, and CBP may apply a Merchandise Processing Fee. These are typically minor compared with the duty itself.
Important
- The figures on this page are estimates. The final duty rate and tariff classification are determined solely by CBP at the time of entry.
- U.S. trade policy is changing rapidly. Rates may change between the time you place your order and the time it clears customs.
- Import duties and related fees are the responsibility of the recipient.
- You can verify current rates at the official U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule or with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Questions? Email us at contact@arc-theplus.co.jp with your order number and we will help where we can.