Nikkei reports Japan’s Ministry of Finance plans to strengthen customs powers to
curb gold smuggling and exports of potentially tax-evasive gold. Japan’s trade
data show declared gold imports of 10 tonnes and exports of 228 tonnes in 2025,
implying substantial processed re-exports of inbound metal. The ministry will
study revisions to the Customs Act and related ordinances, targeting
establishment of a new regulatory framework as early as fiscal 2027. It plans to
submit a proposal to an expert panel next month and to compile required
amendment text by year-end. Proposed measures would explicitly empower customs
to require exporters to provide supplier names, addresses and supply-chain
movement records; customs could refuse export permits if exporters fail to
supply required information. The reforms are aimed at stemming exports of gold
with unclear provenance and cracking down on organized smuggling.
