How to Import Games from Japan to the UK

UK buyers face a more complex import landscape than American buyers, largely due to post-Brexit changes to VAT rules. Importing is still legal, practical, and worth doing for Japan-exclusive titles and superior physical editions — but you need to understand the tax structure to avoid surprises.

What Changed After Brexit

Before Brexit, EU VAT rules applied to UK imports. Items under £15 entered the UK tax-free. That changed on 1 January 2021. The UK now has its own import VAT regime:

• The previous £15 de minimis for VAT was abolished
• A new £135 threshold applies to customs duty (not VAT)
• UK VAT (20%) applies on all imports regardless of value
• Sellers registered for the UK's Import One Stop Shop (IOSS equivalent) collect VAT at checkout

Practical result: For purchases from major registered retailers like Play-Asia, you pay UK VAT (20%) at checkout rather than at the door. Your package clears customs without a separate collection event.

Customs Duties for UK Buyers

VAT (20%)

This is the main tax cost for UK buyers. On every import, VAT at 20% applies on the combined value of the goods plus shipping.

Example: £50 game + £10 shipping = £60 taxable value × 20% = £12 VAT.

For purchases from Play-Asia (which is registered to collect UK VAT), this 20% is added at checkout and clearly displayed before you pay. No surprises at delivery.

Customs Duty

The £135 threshold applies to customs duty, not VAT. For imports below £135, customs duty is zero. For imports above £135:

• UK applies a duty rate on video games of typically 0% (HS code 9504.50 — "video game consoles and machines")
• Even above £135, the customs duty on games is effectively zero

The practical upshot: for game imports to the UK, you pay VAT (unavoidable) but not customs duty (zero rate). The £135 threshold matters more for other product categories.

Royal Mail Handling Fees

For parcels where duty is assessed and collected at the border (rather than at checkout by the retailer), Royal Mail charges a handling fee of £8 for processing. This doesn't apply when Play-Asia or CDJapan collect VAT at checkout — the parcel clears without border collection.

If you're buying from a smaller retailer not registered for UK VAT collection, expect a £8 Royal Mail handling fee on any parcel where VAT is assessed at the border.

Shipping Options to the UK

Play-Asia ships from Hong Kong; CDJapan ships from Tokyo. Typical delivery times to the UK:

Royal Mail delivery: Standard airmail from Hong Kong and Japan is delivered by Royal Mail once it enters the UK. Your tracking number works at royalmail.com after UK entry.

Bank holidays and peak periods: UK deliveries can slow around Christmas, Easter, and Royal Mail industrial action periods. Factor this in for time-sensitive orders.

Northern Ireland: For goods entering Northern Ireland, different rules apply due to the Windsor Framework. Game imports for personal use aren't typically affected, but if you're buying in commercial quantities, check current guidance.

Total Cost Example for UK Buyers

A PS5 game purchased from Play-Asia:

Compare this to the UK retail price for the same title. For Japan-exclusive titles with no UK release, importing is your only option. For globally released titles, the import premium (primarily the VAT, which you'd pay on UK retail too) is often modest.

Currency and Payment

Play-Asia prices in USD. At checkout, your card charges in USD and your bank converts at its rate, typically adding 1-2.5% foreign exchange fee depending on your card. Cards with no foreign transaction fees (Revolut, Starling, Halifax Clarity, Monzo) save this cost on every import purchase.

CDJapan prices in JPY, converted at checkout. Similar FX considerations apply.

Why Import as a UK Buyer?

The 20% VAT adds to the cost, but import still makes sense for specific purchases:

Japan-exclusive titles: No UK release means importing is the only option regardless of tax.

Japanese collector's editions: UK special editions are often inferior to Japanese treasure box editions. If you want the best physical version of a game you love, importing the Japanese edition frequently wins even after VAT.

Pre-owned Japanese games: PS4 and Switch pre-owned imports can undercut UK resale market prices (CEX, eBay) for certain titles, even after VAT, particularly for older Japanese-market games.

AS/HK English editions: Sometimes cheaper than UK retail equivalents for the same game, though less so after VAT than for US buyers.

Tips for UK Buyers

Use a fee-free card for international payments. Cards like Starling or Revolut eliminate the 1-2.5% FX fee that most traditional UK bank cards charge. On a £200 import order, this saves £2-5 easily.

Buy at sale prices. Play-Asia's seasonal sales reduce the taxable value, which reduces the VAT base slightly — and more importantly, the sale price itself represents the main saving. A 30% discount during Golden Week is 30% off the full landed cost.

Consolidate orders. Multiple shipments each potentially attract Royal Mail attention and tracking delays at the border. A single larger order is more efficient both for shipping costs and customs processing.

Check whether VAT is collected at checkout. Play-Asia and CDJapan collect UK VAT at checkout. A smaller retailer may not, resulting in Royal Mail holding your parcel and charging a £8 handling fee. Know before you buy.

Factor in the full price. Use the cost calculator on any product page here to see an estimated total landed cost in USD (convertible to GBP at your preferred rate) for any import game.

Browse import game deals with total cost estimates on every product page. UK buyers will see shipping and VAT factored into the cost calculator.