This article is for sellers who have received an identity verification email along the lines of "We are verifying your Amazon.co.jp seller account" and are unsure whether it's genuine or what to do next. We walk through how to confirm it in Seller Central, how to tell apart the different kinds of "verification" you may be asked for, the documents Japanese sellers need to prepare and the checks that help avoid rejection, and what to expect while you wait after submitting.
Where this "We are verifying your seller account" email fits in
Japanese sellers have reported emails with this kind of wording on the Seller Forums, the discussion board Amazon runs for sellers. In a May 2026 post, a seller described logging in and seeing "Your account is deactivated," while at the same time receiving an email to the effect of "We are verifying your Amazon.co.jp seller account," and said that clicking the "identity verification page" link in the email just returned them to the deactivated screen. Even if you see a deactivated message, don't follow the link in the email — instead, check Account Health and the other screens in the order given in Steps 2–4 below. For how funds are handled, see checking your funds after a suspension.
Amazon's official Help doesn't say whether this exact wording is a standard template, whether it appears in the subject line or the body, or whether every seller receives the same text. Treat the actual notification you received, together with what Seller Central shows, as your source of truth. This article is based on Amazon's Help pages, its seller-facing information pages, and Amazon staff replies on the Forums as of September 2026. Policies and on-screen wording can change.
Why sellers are asked to verify their identity
Help explains that Amazon verifies the information provided at registration to keep the marketplace trustworthy, confirming identity along with the legitimacy of the business and its address. On the legal side, the Act on Protecting Consumers Who Use Digital Platforms for Trading (取引デジタルプラットフォームを利用する消費者の利益の保護に関する法律), effective May 1, 2022, places a best-efforts obligation on digital platform operators to collect information that helps identify the seller, where necessary. We can't say for certain that any individual Amazon verification is based on this law, but it's one likely reason names and addresses are checked so closely. For a legal assessment, consult an attorney.
Confirm it's genuine first: go to Seller Central, not the email link
The Council of Anti-Phishing Japan has published examples of phishing emails that impersonate Amazon using pretexts like "account verification," though these appear to be aimed mainly at buyers. At the same time, one seller reported deleting a genuine warning email as a suspected scam, only to find a violation listed on their Account Health page the next day. Don't ignore the email or act on the link in it — open Seller Central yourself and check. For example subject lines reported by sellers, including warning and suspension emails other than identity verification notices, and how to spot fake emails, see "When you receive a warning email from Amazon: example subject lines and how to spot fake emails."
STEP1. Log in without using the link in the email
Log in the way you normally would — through a bookmark or the official app — rather than through a button or link in the email. Seller Central Help itself advises against clicking links inside emails. Don't delete the email; note down when you received it, its subject line, and any deadline it mentions.
STEP2. Check the alert on your Home page and Account Health
Help explains that if your account is deactivated after registration, you move from the deactivation alert shown on your Home page to the Account Health (アカウント健全性) page, then submit the required documents through Submit New Information (新しい情報を送信). A separate banner reading "Additional information required" on the top page relates to a request for information under the Installment Sales Act (割賦販売法); that review is covered in preparing for an Installment Sales Act review.
STEP3. Open Performance Notifications
Open it from the menu (the three-line icon at the top left) → Performance (パフォーマンス) → Performance Notifications (パフォーマンス通知). The details of any documents you need to submit are also said to be available through the links here.
STEP4. Check "Verify Account" under "View Listing Applications"
Replying to the May 2026 post mentioned above, Amazon staff advised going to the menu → Catalog (カタログ) → View Listing Applications (出品申請を表示); if Verify Account (アカウントを確認) shows as "Under review," wait for a response, and if the item isn't there at all, open a case through Help (ヘルプ) → Get Support (サポートとケースを利用する). This item doesn't necessarily appear for every seller.
Signs of a fake message
- Asks you to reply to the email or use an outside website to provide ID, bank details, or your password
- Creates a false sense of urgency to rush you into acting (genuine notices can also state a deadline, so judge by whether Seller Central shows the same guidance, not by whether a deadline is mentioned)
- Asks for payment or a money transfer outside Amazon, or payment by gift card
- Comes with a notice about an order or delivery you don't recognize
Help states that Amazon.co.jp never asks for your password by email, and that documents can only be uploaded through Seller Central. Amazon staff have likewise confirmed that instructions to reply directly to an email are not part of the standard process. Amazon.co.jp's buyer-facing Help offers ways to check a message, such as a "Verify a communication" form, but for seller communications, checking against Performance Notifications and Account Health is the basic approach.
Sample message if you can't find any related notice
If you can't find anything relevant, confirm it by opening a case. The example below is a hypothetical wording, not a real case.
On [date], my registered email address received a message to the effect of "We are verifying your seller account." Without using the link in the email, I checked Account Health and Performance Notifications in Seller Central, but couldn't find any corresponding notice.
Could you please confirm whether this email is genuinely from Amazon, and whether any identity verification steps are required on my part?
Telling apart the different kinds of "verification"
Amazon uses the word "verification" for several different processes, and what gets put on hold, where you submit anything, and what documents (if any) are needed all vary. For example, in an August 2026 forum thread, Amazon staff told a seller whose funds had been held for "account verification" that this was a standard delivery-confirmation review and that no documents were required. To find out whether a given verification requires documents, check whether Performance Notifications or Account Health actually shows a request to submit them. The timeframes below are official estimates or figures from staff replies, not guarantees, and some sellers have reported longer waits.
| Type | Typical situation | How to check / respond | Timeframe / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identity verification at registration | The final step of sign-up (Step 5) | Upload documents on the registration screen, plus a photo of your ID or a video call | Review takes up to 2 business days (per Help), or around 3 business days (per the seller-facing page) |
| Seller Performance review | Changing your address, bank account, or phone number; an invalid card, for example | Submit New Information (新しい情報を送信) on Account Health, or View Appeal (申し立てを表示) in Performance Notifications | Up to 2 business days after documents are received. You can't list products until it's complete |
| Virtual identity verification (video interview) | You're asked in a notification to book an appointment | Book through the identity verification link in the most recent Performance Notification | Some sellers report it's hard to find an open slot with a Japanese-speaking representative |
| Installment Sales Act merchant review | The "Additional information required" banner appears | "Agree and submit" (同意して提出する) on the alert card | Review takes around 2 days; you won't be contacted if there's no issue |
| Micro-deposit verification / card verification | Adding or changing a bank account or card | If micro-deposit verification fails, follow the instructions sent to your registered email address | Card verification is shown as taking "up to 24 hours," but staff have said that if it runs longer than that, simply waiting won't resolve it |
| Delivery-confirmation review | Funds are held under "account verification" | In individual cases, staff have said no documents are required (if a notification does ask for documents, submit them) | Staff have said continuing to ship as usual helps the review move faster |
| Two-Step Verification reset | You can't log in | Upload an image of your ID through Amazon.co.jp's Two-Step Verification reset process | A separate process from seller identity verification |
How to read these notifications is covered in more detail in telling review emails apart.
Documents to prepare for identity verification: for sellers based in Japan
This section covers the documents requested at registration and in post-registration reviews. If a notification or on-screen instruction specifies something different, follow that instead.
Identification
The seller-facing page lists a valid, unexpired passport or driver's license as acceptable photo ID. Help's "if your business is located in Japan" section lists a broader range, including a residence card. In either case, My Number Cards and driver's licenses combined with a My Number Card cannot be used. Help's main requirements are as follows.
- Issued by the government and includes a photo. The full name matches the name entered as your primary contact
- Shows your date of birth (you must be 18 or older), a unique ID number, an expiration date (where applicable), and a signature (where applicable), all of which exactly match the date of birth, ID number, and expiration date you entered
- If important information appears on the back, submit both sides
Proof of address
Accepted documents differ for Individual and Professional sellers. Documents common to both include bank or credit card statements, utility bills, lease or rental agreements, and tax documents showing your address; for Individual sellers, a certificate of residence (juminhyo) that doesn't show your My Number is also accepted, and for Professional sellers, a business license or certified copy of business registration is included as well (check the notification or on-screen instructions for which specific documents qualify).
Documents must show a date — an issue date, payment due date, or transaction date — along with details of the issuer and the name and address of the account holder. Help describes the issuer details as "financial institution information (bank name, seal, signature, or logo)"; for utility bills submitted in a post-registration review, the provider's name, address, and logo must appear, and the bill must have been issued within the past 90 days (documents submitted at registration must be within the past 180 days). Follow whatever period is stated in your notification, and when in doubt, use the most recent document you have.
Sole proprietors vs. corporations
| Category | Documents listed on the seller-facing page | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sole proprietor | Identification, proof of address (a driver's license, utility statement, certificate of residence, or bank/card statement), and bank account verification (the details page of your passbook, or a statement) | Proof of address must not show your My Number |
| Corporation | Proof of company information (a screenshot of the Corporate Number site or a certified copy of company registration), proof of company address, the representative's identification and proof of address, a document confirming the representative belongs to the company, and bank account verification | A certified copy of company registration must be dated within 180 days of issue; screenshots must include the URL |
For proof that a representative belongs to the company, you can use a pay statement (amounts may be redacted), a letter of authorization signed by an officer or bearing the company seal, or the articles of incorporation; a letter of authorization without a company seal or signature, or a photo of a company credit card, is not accepted. Bank account verification documents must show the company name or the name of the person in charge, the bank name, and the account number all together; a photo of a cash card or an ATM transaction slip does not qualify.
Whose documents to submit
Submit identification for the person who actually runs and operates the account. In a June 2026 forum thread, a seller reported that a gas bill in her husband's name and a certificate of residence listing both spouses were rejected; Amazon staff replied that all documents normally need to match the name on the account, and that a certificate listing more than one name may not be sufficient on its own. How to work through this matching process is also covered in preparing additional identity verification documents.
Before you submit: matching names and addresses, and photo requirements
Do the name and address point to the same person and the same place?
If the information on a document doesn't match your registration details, it can be rejected. Before you submit, line up and compare the following.
| What to compare | What to check |
|---|---|
| Registration details (Settings → Account Info) | Your name or legal business name, address, and company address |
| Identification | How your name is written, date of birth, ID number, expiration date |
| Proof of address and bank account | The name and address of the account holder, issue date, and account name |
| Disclosure Under the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions (where required) | Whether it's the address where you actually conduct business (a P.O. box, for example, is not acceptable) |
| Certificate of company registration, etc. (corporations) | The registered company name and head office address |
Common trip-ups include a utility bill in a family member's name, a document that still shows an old address, mixing up the company address with the representative's home address, and small differences in how the district, house number, or building name are written. If you rent a shared workspace and don't have a utility bill in your own name, Help states you can submit a utility bill in the space provider's company name (referred to as a "co-tenant company" in Help), together with your lease or rental agreement.
If you find a mismatch, update your registration details if they were the ones that were wrong, or, if your registration details are correct, submit documents that support them. Don't change your registration to something that doesn't reflect reality just to match a document. Note that changing your address or other details can itself trigger a new review, and you may not be able to update your information while a verification is in progress.
Photo and file requirements
Checklist before you upload
- Is it a photo or scan of the original (screenshots aren't accepted, except for the Corporate Number site screenshot with the URL visible)?
- Is it in color, showing all four corners, without cropping or an angled shot, and is the text sharp?
- For a driver's license, are both sides included (in one file, unless you're asked to upload them separately)? For a passport, does it show the photo page including the signature field?
- Is the file in PNG, TIFF, JPG, or PDF format, and under 50MB?
- Does the file name avoid emoji or symbols such as "$," "&," or "#"?
- Is it free of password protection, and not past its expiration date?
What to expect after submitting, and preparing for a video interview
What to avoid while your review is in progress, and deadlines
Help asks you not to resubmit documents or file repeat appeals while a review is underway. If you're asked to resubmit at registration and don't respond within 30 days, your registration process is terminated. Help's FAQ states, regarding disputing a decision that rejected your identity verification at registration, that verification decisions are final. That's why it matters to get accurate documents together the first time. If things are taking a long time, what to check when a review isn't progressing may also help.
Keep a record of the exchange
Keeping a timeline of when you received each email, when and on which screen you submitted documents, what documents you submitted and their issue dates, the notices you received (acknowledgment, requests for more information, and results), and each case ID along with a summary of the response, keeps your explanation consistent if you need to resubmit or follow up. Save screenshots of any on-screen messages and errors too.
If you're asked for a video interview (virtual identity verification)
At registration, after you upload your documents, you may be asked to take a photo of your ID or join a video call with an Amazon representative (referred to in the registration guide as an "Amazon Associate"); you're asked to have your government-issued ID and proof of address ready for the call.
Throughout 2026, sellers have continued to post that no dates are available for booking when they select Japanese. Amazon staff have advised booking through the link in your most recent Performance Notification, trying again later if nothing is available, and, if that still doesn't work, opening a case through Help (ヘルプ) → Get Support (サポートとケースを利用する) → Selling on Amazon (Amazon出品サービス). Some sellers report receiving a notice that fund disbursement was being withheld while they were still unable to book, so keep a record of the booking screen and explain the situation in your case. Preparing for this is covered in preparing for an additional virtual identity verification.
If you can't get past identity verification during registration, or can't complete registration
If you can't get past the identity verification in the final step of sign-up, first sort out whether you're at the stage of waiting for Amazon's response or at a stage that needs action on your part. If a request for additional documents or for resubmission has arrived at your registered email address, you're at a stage that needs action on your part (the deadline to resubmit is the 30-day window noted earlier). If you've finished submitting your documents and you don't see any unanswered requests on the screen either, you're at the stage of waiting for a response.
Even if nothing changes after the timeframe in the earlier table has passed while you're waiting for a response, don't resubmit documents or file repeat appeals; instead, check the situation in the order set out in what to check when a review isn't progressing. If you receive a rejection or a request to resubmit, you can check words like "name" or "address" in the reason given against the matching table in preparing additional identity verification documents to narrow down which item in your registration details they refer to (for how to proceed, also see the FAQ below). The difference between a rejection at the registration stage and an appeal when an active account has been suspended is covered in the FAQ section of what to check when you can't find the submit button.
Things not to do
- Opening another account to keep selling: Creating a new account to get around a deactivation or an identity verification in progress violates Amazon's policies. As a rule, you may maintain only one account per region where you sell, and an exception applies only where there's a legitimate business reason and every account is being operated without issues. If a problem arises with any one account, all of your accounts can be deactivated until it's resolved.
- Altering a document, or substituting someone else's document or inaccurate information: Documents must be genuine and unaltered. Under the policies tied to the Installment Sales Act, providing false information, for example, can lead to consequences such as a temporary listing suspension, permanent loss of selling privileges, or the withholding or forfeiture of your funds.
- Sending documents by replying to an email or through an outside website: Submit documents only through Seller Central.
- Deleting or ignoring the email without checking it: If it turns out to be genuine, you risk missing the deadline.
- Sharing your password or verification code with a third party: Don't share these even with someone claiming to act on your behalf.
Preparing for a re-verification: steps to take before you change your registration details
As the earlier table shows, changing your address, bank account, phone number, or similar details can trigger a Seller Performance review. Before making a change, take the following steps.
- Before you make the change, gather supporting documents for the new information (a utility bill for your new address, a statement for your new account, and so on)
- Avoid changing your bank account right before your next scheduled disbursement date (Help recommends not updating it within 3 days of a scheduled disbursement). A change doesn't take effect until 3 days have passed, and you can't start a funds transfer during that window; a micro-deposit verification may also take place
- Check the expiration date and cardholder name on your billing card. Amazon staff have stated that a prepaid card can't be used for identity verification (card-related restrictions are explained in card-related restrictions on a seller account)
- If you change your address, update your Disclosure Under the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions to match
Review your receiving address under Settings (設定) → Notification Preferences (通知設定), and register a phone number where you can reliably be reached under Emergency Notifications (緊急通知). The LINE official account integration announced on September 1, 2026 can help too, but not every deactivation triggers a notification.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Can I use my My Number Card for identity verification?
A. For seller identity verification, this can't be used, including a driver's license combined with a My Number Card. The "Two-Step Verification reset" process used when you can't log in is a separate matter: there, only the front of a My Number Card can be used, and you're instructed not to upload the back, which shows your personal number. If you can't log in, what to check when you can't log in may also help.
Q. Can I keep listing and shipping products while a review is in progress?
A. It depends on the process. A post-registration Seller Performance review is said to prevent you from starting to list products until it's complete, whereas during an Installment Sales Act review, you're told you can go ahead with preparation such as registering products and setting up FBA shipments. For a delivery-confirmation review, see the table above.
Q. The front of my driver's license still shows my old address.
A. In Help's list for Individual sellers, a driver's license can only be used as proof of address if it's the older style that shows your current address on the front; the list for Professional sellers doesn't include a driver's license at all. Prepare a separate document, such as a bank/card statement or utility bill, that shows your current address, and check that it matches your registration address.
Q. I've registered a virtual office address. Does it affect identity verification or suspensions?
A. There is an example of Amazon staff replying to a seller who had registered a virtual office address by asking them to register a valid business address (this was a reply in an individual case, and it is also covered in the full picture from suspension to reinstatement request). Identity verification looks at whether the name and address on your documents match your registration details. In some cases, rather than changing your address to one that doesn't reflect the facts just to match your documents, the first step is to register the address where you actually do business and gather documents whose address and name match it. The documents required can differ from one notification to another, so check what the notification you received specifies. Note that Amazon has not officially said whether a shared address is used to determine that accounts are related, but other businesses that use the same address are one of the items to check when your account has been flagged as related to another (how to check for connections behind an unrecognized account link).
Q. Will I be notified once the review is complete?
A. Some sellers report receiving an email confirming that their document review is complete, but this doesn't happen for every process. Check the status on the screen in Seller Central.
Q. What if a document is rejected, or I'm asked to resubmit?
A. Start by checking the reason given in the notification. If it's a name or address mismatch, use the comparison table above to check your registration details against your documents, then either correct the mistake in your registration or submit an additional document that supports it. For deadlines, follow the 30-day window noted earlier if this is at registration, or whatever the notification states for a post-registration review. Before resubmitting, also check your images against the checklist, and avoid sending materials repeatedly while a review is still in progress.
Summary
If you receive a verification email, start by checking its contents in Seller Central.
- Don't use the link — check whether Account Health and Performance Notifications show the same guidance
- Identify which kind of "verification" you're dealing with: identity verification at registration, a post-registration review, a video interview, an Installment Sales Act review, or something else
- Prepare the specified documents other than a My Number Card or a driver's license combined with one, and make sure the name and address match across your registration details, proof of address, and bank account name
- Submit images that meet the requirements through Seller Central, avoid resubmitting while a review is underway, and keep a record
Checking your name and address one by one against the pre-submission table makes it easier to avoid a rejection and having to resubmit. If you're not sure which process applies, or a deactivation and an identity verification request have come at the same time, organize your notifications and registration details, and consult a professional such as an attorney or tax accountant as needed.
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Further reading
Responding to Amazon misconduct warnings: preparing for additional virtual identity verification Read article → 
Preparing additional documents for Amazon identity verification: matching evidence to the request Read article → 
Checking funds after an Amazon suspension: holds, disbursement requests and video interviews Read article →