External Hard Drives and Japanese Customs

[Dr. Robert]

I am a college student traveling to Japan in the next 6 weeks for the new semester and wanted to post this cause I believe the information floating around to be a little contradictory and at times insufficient.

What I would like to know is this:

Is Japanese Customs as rigorous about checking external hard drives for content as the US has become lately?

I just researched it and while statistically rare there have been a lot of people lately who have been screwed over at customs from laptop and hard drive searches where the 4th Amendment has no bearing.

In my particular instance I will not be bringing my old laptop with me as I plan on purchasing a new one upon arriving to Japan, so no problem there. However I have a total of SIX external hard drives; 5 TB desktop externals and a 500GB desktop external, all of which are LOADED with stuff. Pictures, Music, Video ( Movies etc ) you name it, these drives are a compendium of my life for the past few years.

My primary concern is do Japanese Customs copy or confiscate hard drives like Customs in the US does? I am not trying to infer that I have anything illegal on my drives, but I find it rather frightening that Customs here can arbitrarily copy your most important and perhaps intimate digital belongings due to " probable cause " and wanted to know if I could potentially be hassled by Customs there for this reason. I am sure the chances of being bothered with an inspection are lower when you only have a single drive, but even though I will carry no computer with me I'm thinking that having 6 hard drives on me might seem a bit conspicuous to people who are looking for things out of the ordinary.

Any Advice or personal experience with this?

Everyone's input and experiences are very much appreciated!

[SteadyRollingMan]

No problem, Japanese are not as paranoid as Americans. as you said, you are not bringing your laptop
with you customs are not going to go looking for a laptop on which they can see what you have in them.

[paradoxbox]

never had a problem with them checking hard drives, but if you're concerned about it just use something like truecrypt to encrypt your entire drives before you go.

customs officers can't force you to give up your passwords, or even if they try you can just give them a spoof password.

you can undo it once you arrive in japan.

IMO it's a good idea to encrypt. possibly complete bogus rumors but i have heard of people being stopped and arrested or denied entry for attempting to bring in uncensored pornography and even political materials.

i think carrying 6 hard drives in carry on luggage would be conspicuous but they probably wouldn't ask to see what's on the disks, just ask you to open your bag so they can verify they're hard drives.

[Dr. Robert]

My Japanese is very limited as well at this point. Is there such thing as plausible reliability for Japanese Customs, should I encrypt my personal files?

[Trichophyton-in-my-pants]

Six hard drives.... Damn, that's a lot of Jenna Jameson.

Anyway, personally I've never had a problem and I've been almost strip searched on both ends of the Pacific. I always carry one external hard drive and a laptop, but that is just my own experience. If you can reasonably EXPLAIN why you have 6 HD's on you, is case you get picked from the line, then you should be peachy.

However, how DO you explain 6 HD's without sounding like a mule? No offense, but if I would be the inspector, I would bet on kiddie flicks.

[themoonrules]

Regardless of Customs searches, people should encrypt their stuff. This day and age, you got hackers, HD's getting lost and data being stolen. There's plenty of free encrypting software out there like TrueCrypt that you should really use if you want to protect your stuff.

[Dr. Robert]

Well encryption at this point seems kind of like a no brainer... but yeah, I am just afraid of being singled out cause I have a bunch of hard drives. I kind of wish I still had the boxes and everything for them to make it look like I just bought them here before I left. I've also thought about mailing them over to my new address but I have heard a lot of stories about packages like those being opened and searched before arriving, and I don't know whats worse, taking the risk that I will have to explain myself and not be able to pass customs without my privacy being violated or sending what basically amounts to a digital copy of my entire life through the mail where there are no lines or cues of people waiting like at the airport so they can take their time and sift through all my stuff...

[iago]

How long will you be staying in Japan? Maybe you could just leave all the illegal stuff at home until you get back?

[Dr. Robert]

I will be staying in Japan indefinitely... Which is why I have so many hard drives to bring as stated before. They contain everything, just about every photograph ever taken, my entire movie collection ripped to the drives, all my music ripped and itunes archived.. EVERYTHING, everything you could have handled digitally on a computer or laptop I have put on these drives. And since I have no intention on returning to the United States anytime soon its something I cannot really do.

[mr.sumo.snr]

I will be staying in Japan indefinitely... Which is why I have so many hard drives to bring as stated before. They contain everything, just about every photograph ever taken, my entire movie collection ripped to the drives, all my music ripped and itunes archived.. EVERYTHING, everything you could have handled digitally on a computer or laptop I have put on these drives. And since I have no intention on returning to the United States anytime soon its something I cannot really do.

I think you've answered your own question. Bring the drives or give up the contents for good either way. I regularly take and bring back external drives with one or more laptops and have never been searched (touch wood).

It's cliche but Japanese customs officers really do like to stop and search backpackers and the 'scruffy yoofs'. I always travel wearing a shirt and slacks - can't say it makes a difference, but for 16 years I've been waved through.

--

[iago]

I will be staying in Japan indefinitely...

Jeez. What are you studying??

They contain everything, just about every photograph ever taken, my entire movie collection ripped to the drives, all my music ripped and itunes archived.. EVERYTHING, everything you could have handled digitally on a computer or laptop I have put on these drives.

Might be worth having backups, in case of worst case scenario.

If you have a DVD burner, I believe you can copy the movies to individual DVD discs. Similarly, I believe iTunes has the capability to copy the songs onto CD discs. This way, if you do lose the originals from your hard disks, you still have a copy.

[Dr. Robert]

Har har...

In reality I'll be continuing my education there well into graduate school.

I will take up the advise on dressing more professionally and not looking so drab when I fly there though. That's something I didn't think about before.

[hml]

I will take up the advise on dressing more professionally and not looking so drab when I fly there though. That's something I didn't think about before.

I suggest wearing something that will go along with the contents of your external drives...

[jron]

6 drives? are you kidding? How BIG are they?
I can put a collection of over 1000 DVD's on less than 4tb. Are you seriously telling us you have more than that ?
and photos and important docs? bullsh*t.. I've been a photog for 40 years and everything I have can fit on less than 1 drive. it can only be a huge video porn stash or you are a serious video editor. You said nothing about the latter so it must be the former..

Get a single 2tb drive and a cheap enclosure and dump it all on there.

BTW, I have been to Japan 15 times in the past 3.5 years and they have never once looked at any of my computer stuff.

[Dr. Robert]

Everything I have is uncompressed and the Movie collection I have 90% of it is no less than 720p. So space goes fast.

But long story short, I have basically decided to compress and encrypt everything to two primary drives and leave everything else behind. I am sure I can make due mostly with whatever I can stuff on two drives and just hope they dont make a big fuss over it. I am hearing more people than not say that Japanese customs is far more lax than US customs to begin with...

but yeah... jron, you could have literately just posted

"Get a single 2tb drive and a cheap enclosure and dump it all on there.

BTW, I have been to Japan 15 times in the past 3.5 years and they have never once looked at any of my computer stuff. "

and been done with it... I wont say anything else about it, cause I was the one who came here to look for help/advice but thats a bit harsh don't you think?

[jron]

lol.. sorry, its 3:30am here and I've been working straight since 7am...
not in a very good mood I guess... :-P
apologies..

[Andun]

Getting a cloud account is the way to go these days. Even if you cancel it when you're set up in Japan. You won't have to worry about checks or the HDs getting damaged.

[Dr. Robert]

Jron, no hard feelings!

but other than consolidating everything I will look into a clout account as a viable back up plan.

[SteadyRollingMan]

Look the best thing to do is to mail them to your address. Only the Americans might be interested in opening the packages, the Japanese will and do not, you have been told a load of bull crap from people who do not know what the fack they are talking about. In 35 years I have sent everything from God`s lttle plant to the kitchen sink through the mail and have never ever had a package opened by the Japanese. Or just bring the damm things and stop worrying they will not bother you about it. It`s the so called "Land of The Free" that you have to worry about. Those red, white and blue pencil necked , look for excuses to rummage in other people`s things and business..

[mr.sumo.snr]

Look the best thing to do is to mail them to your address.

Good advice - only make sure you don't value the contents over $100 (if that). If you lost the drives the value of the hardware is negligible the true value to you is the media content - and that would be lost forever anyway.

Bring the personal stuff (photos) with you and mail the rest. Add in some aspirin and ibuprofen and roll-on deodorant. Maybe some 'slide' sandals if your feet are large and condoms if other things are large and mail it to yourself.

--

[iago]

In 35 years I have sent everything from God`s lttle plant to the kitchen sink through the mail and have never ever had a package opened by the Japanese.

In all my years in this country, I have never been hit by a bus. I therefore declare that bus/pedestrian accidents do not occur in Japan.

[Andun]

In 35 years I have sent everything from God`s lttle plant

You were very lucky then. I know of at least 2 people who were arrested and deported for that.

[Dr. Robert]

So they do open the mail right?

Arrested and Deported for what?

[iago]

So they do open the mail right?

yes, they do open mail. Not everything, guessing it's at random, but I can assure you it does happen.

Still, if everything on the HDDs is above board, there's really nothing to worry about.

[Andun]

So they do open the mail right?

Arrested and Deported for what?

Attempting to bring MJ into the country.

[paradoxbox]

Attempting to bring MJ into the country.

they didn't need any more transvestite singers in the country, how can you blame them

[Andun]

they didn't need any more transvestite singers in the country, how can you blame them

LOL! Good one.

[SometimesJustMe]

If you were to post them, I'd send them in 2 packages of 3 and 3.

Customs here tend to think more than 3 of the same item means a business, and they look far more closely at them.

Not saying there is, but if you do have uncensored porn (even your own homemade) video/pictures and they find it, you'll be out of the country indefinitely.

[SantaKraut]

I regularly take my laptop in and out of Japan, usually to Europe (it's been to Amsterdam (numerous times), London, Moscow, etc), and has never been as much as looked at.
It seems only the US is so anal about it.

By the way why would you want to buy a laptop in Japan?
It comes with Japanese keyboard and OS, do you need that hassle? If you want the English stuff you will pay premium for it in Akihabara.

I just compared prices no too long ago when my laptop died, you get much better machine for a lot less in the US, and you can have it custom built still for less money than here.
You can also ship it or have it shipped and you are still much better off.
The idea that electronics are cheaper in Japan is mostly a myth even if you look at kakaku.com.

If you wan to see for yourself, pick a machine, get he specs, look it up on kakaku.com and see for yourself.
Just as an example, I looked at Toshiba's 19" laptop, a similar but less powerful machine, and only 17", would cost well over $3,000 here while in the US it would be under $2,000 with the bigger screen.
In Japan most everything cost a lot more than it would cost in the US including brand name stuff.

[ericson]

All countries pen mail as it goes through xray scanners upon arrival like your luggage. The ones that get opened are mostly stuff with medication and plants, because most countries prohibit such imports. Hard disk won't be flagged. I walked through customs with 2 drives and 3 laptops and all I heard was Arigatoo gozaimasu. The last time I came for just a visit about 2 year ago I brought 7 bottles of spirit. Declared them, went to the section to declare items. Immediately opened the bag, show the officer and he went out of his way trying to explain to me people I know are lucky for such nice omiyagi. Theoretically he should have charged 5 bottles worth of tax, but he waived me paying. Went straight through...

Don't worry about just a few hard drives. The worst thing is they will make you take them out at customs at the departing country to verify the casing is full of wires and etched boards and as long as they don't see something that looks like concealed weapons or coke, you are fine.

[gaijinmx]

The idea that electronics are cheaper in Japan is mostly a myth even if you look at kakaku.com.
In Japan most everything cost a lot more than it would cost in the US including brand name stuff.

I just bought a macbook pro retina display in the USA and kicked myself after seeing the same laptop on the Japanese apple website for less, considering the current exchange rate.

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/hom...ly/macbook_pro
15-inch: 2.4GHz with Retina display $2199 USD

http://store.apple.com/jp/browse/hom...ly/macbook_pro
15インチ：2.4 GHz Retinaディスプレイ ￥198,800 at 94.80 USD/JPY interbank rate= 2,097 USD

I just threw $100 bucks down the drain and now have to carry this new laptop on top of my other 2000 kilos of luggage.

[wernst]

I just bought a macbook pro retina display in the USA and kicked myself after seeing the same laptop on the Japanese apple website for less, considering the current exchange rate.

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/hom...ly/macbook_pro
15-inch: 2.4GHz with Retina display $2199 USD

http://store.apple.com/jp/browse/hom...ly/macbook_pro
15インチ：2.4 GHz Retinaディスプレイ ￥198,800 at 94.80 USD/JPY interbank rate= 2,097 USD

I just threw $100 bucks down the drain and now have to carry this new laptop on top of my other 2000 kilos of luggage.

But now you have a macbook in English which in my opinion is worth those 100 bucks.

[White Ninja]

But now you have a macbook in English which in my opinion is worth those 100 bucks.

It's a mac, not Windows. Any mac can be used in English or Japanese (or any of the other supported languages).

[wernst]

It's a mac, not Windows. Any mac can be used in English or Japanese (or any of the other supported languages).

*Insert Home Improvement 'huhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh'?*

Sorry never owned a mac, hate mac's with a passion.

[White Ninja]

*Insert Home Improvement 'huhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh'?*

Sorry never owned a mac, hate mac's with a passion.

Amazing.

I hate Dutch people myself. I've never actually met one though.

[arukas]

I once came through customs with an entire PC broken down by components and wrapped in plastic bags, everything but the case. They looked inside the bags asked what everything was, I simply said a computer without a case... passed right through.

[Since1990]

Amazing.

I hate Dutch people myself. I've never actually met one though.

I suggest that Wernst has probably met a mac, just hasn't married one 'cause they're not his type at all... I feel the same way toward window machines. I have owned one though, back in 1996. Never again.

[wernst]

Amazing.

I hate Dutch people myself. I've never actually met one though.

Really? Wow good for you? I guess a meeting is out of the question then. Im so sad now.

[White Ninja]

Really? Wow good for you? I guess a meeting is out of the question then. Im so sad now.

I don't actually hate Dutch people. I was just pointing out the ridiculousness of the statement by giving a relevant example.

[wernst]

I don't actually hate Dutch people. I was just pointing out the ridiculousness of the statement by giving a relevant example.

You sir, need to learn the difference between a statement and an opinion. Please let me hate MAC's okay, its one of the small pleasures I have in this ____ life.