Importing Airsoft Guns from Japan to UK

Purchasing airsoft guns from overseas is quite challenging.
If you are in the UK and want to import airsoft, you need to understand the legal and practical side.
We are providing a high-level guide for what UK airsoft customers should know.

Legal Requirements

For details, see the UK Airsoft Law page.

IF and RIF

Guns, including airsoft guns, model guns, and toy guns, can be classified as an IF (imitation firearm) or a RIF (realistic imitation firearm), depending on whether they resemble a real gun in appearance.

Firing power

Firing power limits in UK are 1.3J (full-auto) and 2.5J (single shot).
Firing power limits in Japan is 0.98J.

UKARA

To purchase a RIF in the UK, airsoft players should get a UKARA membership as a defence.
There are a few exceptions, such as museum, film, or police use.

Shipping Options

Japan Post

Airsoft guns are shipped with Japan Post, as they are the only courier that allows weapon shaped items.
Available options are:

EMS: The fastest and reliable method for international shipping. Takes 5 days for delivery.
International ePacket Light: The cheapest method for items under 2kg. Takes 12 days for delivery.
Surface Mail: The cheapest method to ship heavy items. Long transit times can cause unwanted damages. Takes 2-3 months for delivery.

Details on the shipping guide and rates can be found in System & Fees

FedEx

FedEx does not allow gun-shaped objects.
However, parts that do not look gun-shaped can be shipped with FedEx.

Customs

Practically, airsoft items can be declared as 9503.00 (toys).

Your government will charge a 20% VAT for this category.

If you are importing a RIF, make sure to provide your UKARA number to the shipper.
Without a UKARA defense, your item may be seized, destroyed, or there may be further legal consequences.

Items Containing Battery or Gas

Gas

Gas must be emptied out before shipping. We cannot ship compressed gas of any kind.

Batteries

Battery items need a separate check before shipping. Some battery types are allowed and some are not.

See the dedicated battery page for details.

Exceptions

Some items are restricted under Japan Post rules. See the restriction PDF here: https://www.post.japanpost.jp/int/use/restriction/restriction02.pdf

Where to Buy

Direct overseas sellers

Some airsoft businesses ship items directly overseas.
These items are usually overpriced compared to the domestic price, but these businesses know what they are doing and there is not much to worry about.

Domestic sellers / brands

Most Japanese airsoft items are for the domestic market only, since most sellers have no interest in the foreign market.
Some popular brands include:

Proxy services

To obtain domestic only items from overseas, you must use a service that purchases and ships the item. Such service is called a ‘proxy’.
However, most Japanese proxy ban airsoft purchases. Even worse, some will let you buy first and later say that the item is prohibited and cannot be shipped. In such cases, you will be wasting money for nothing.
It is critical to check the airsoft policy of any service you use.

About us

Lunarcat grew up by helping customers who bought restricted items through other proxy services and had no way to ship internationally.

A big portion of these customers were purchasing airsoft guns.
We understand the legal and practical issues involved in shipping this category overseas.

Today, Lunarcat is one of the only proxies in Japan that supports airsoft orders internationally.

Related Guides

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