This article is for sellers who aren't sure whether they can judge how serious their situation is based on whether an Amazon notice says "suspended" (停止) or "closed" (閉鎖). In fact, we could find no official document that defines these two words, and both can appear in a single notice. Below, we lay out the clues and steps for telling your current status from the notice, how this differs from closing your account yourself, and what to prepare before asking for help.
Start with the basics: no official definition of "suspended" vs. "closed" can be found
This article is based on Amazon's official Help pages and agreements, Japanese laws and regulations, and notice text that sellers have reposted on the Seller Forums, all as we were able to review them as of September 2026. Policies and on-screen labels can change, so please also check the notice you received and the latest Help content.
Amazon's list of key selling policies (出品・販売に関する重要な規約・ポリシー一覧) states that, depending on factors such as the severity and number of violations, Amazon may take actions such as temporarily or permanently suspending your selling privileges, so "suspension" covers both temporary and permanent measures. The Amazon Services Business Solutions Agreement (the "Agreement") also contains a passage that lists three words side by side, "suspend, terminate, or close" (停止、解除もしくは閉鎖), but we could find no official document that defines each term. That is why you can't conclude from the wording alone that "closed means permanent" and "suspended means temporary."
The same words are used in situations with different starting points
Here are examples of the same words being used both for actions taken by Amazon and for actions taken by sellers themselves.
| Word | Examples of where it's used | Easy-to-confuse point |
|---|---|---|
| Suspended (停止) | Account suspension by Amazon / a vacation setting you apply yourself (the "Inactive" (停止中) listing status) / listings you have closed with "Close listing" (出品を終了) | An "Inactive" status you set yourself is entirely separate from action taken by Amazon |
| Closed (閉鎖) | Notice text from Amazon / the process for closing your Amazon shopping account | Closing your shopping account is a separate process from closing your selling account |
| Closing/terminating (解約) | "Closing your selling account" (出品用アカウントの解約), which you do yourself / action taken by Amazon, such as when a seller has excessive A-to-z Guarantee claims | Used whether you or Amazon initiated it |
If you also sell in stores in other countries, check how each store displays your status by switching stores from the store name in the upper-left corner of the screen. English terms such as suspend, terminate, and deactivation don't map one-to-one onto the Japanese words, so check the notices and agreement for each store.
Use four clues to identify your current status
Rather than relying on the subject line or the first word of the notice, checking the following four points in order makes it easier to make sense of your current status.
- Starting point: Is this the result of something you did yourself, or a notice you received from Amazon?
- Words that indicate severity: Does the notice use words like "temporarily," "permanently," or "decided not to reinstate"?
- Deadlines and instructions: Does the notice mention a deadline such as "within X days," how to appeal, or that your account "will be considered for reinstatement"?
- What you see on screen: Can you log in to Seller Central, and can you proceed with the process from the Account Health (アカウント健全性) page?
Applying these four points, the situations often referred to as "suspended" or "closed" can be roughly divided as follows.
| Status | Starting point | Clues to identify it | How to reverse it |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Inactive" (停止中) from a vacation setting | You | Changed via Store status (ストアのステータス). You can log in as usual | Switch back to "Active" (出品中) |
| Suspension or removal of individual listings | Mainly Amazon | The affected listings are shown under Product Policy Compliance (商品規約の遵守) or in Performance Notifications | Fix the listing information, or appeal |
| Temporary account suspension | Amazon | The notice uses the word "temporarily" or explains how and by when to get reinstated | Appeal from the Account Health page |
| "Permanently closed," e.g., after a deadline passes | Amazon | May be stated in the notice as the consequence of missing a deadline | Whether you can appeal could not be officially confirmed; check with Support |
| Decision not to reinstate | Amazon | After you appeal, you receive a message saying Amazon has decided not to reinstate your account | Check the notice for how to resubmit or reply; if there is nothing, confirm your current status with Support. Consult a lawyer about legal options |
| Account you closed yourself | You | You receive an email confirming the closure, and you can't log in | Cannot be reactivated |
| Closure of your shopping account | You | Finalized when you reply within 5 days to the confirmation notice sent after your request | Cannot be restored |
How to read notices: examples where the wording and substance don't match
Some notices that sellers have reposted on the Seller Forums use wording that doesn't match what is actually happening. Each of the following is just one example, and the wording varies depending on the time and cause.
Example where "temporarily closed" and "suspended" appeared in the same notice (around 2020)
In a notice reposted around 2020, the opening stated that the account had been "temporarily closed," while the reason section said it had been "suspended" for listing products suspected of being inauthentic. The same status was described with two different words, and in the same thread, Amazon staff explained what documents were needed for reinstatement.
Example that used "temporarily suspended" for now and "permanently closed" after the deadline (June 2024)
A notice reposted as dated June 2024 stated that the account had been "temporarily suspended" because its Account Health Rating had fallen below the threshold. It went on to say that if the required information was not provided by the deadline, the account would be "permanently closed," and that if an appeal addressing the policy violations was successfully completed, the account "will be considered for reinstatement." Here, "suspended" describes the current status and "closed" describes the consequence after the deadline. The number of days allowed may differ from notice to notice.
Example where a decision not to reinstate was communicated while the account was still "suspended"
Conversely, sellers have also reposted notices that, after stating the account had been "suspended," said Amazon had received the submitted information but decided not to reinstate the account, having found involvement in false, deceptive, or illegal activity. So you can't assume that "suspended" means the situation is minor, either.
How to read a notice that says "permanent suspension"
As explained in the "Start with the basics" section, Amazon's list of key selling policies includes a "permanent suspension" of selling privileges among the actions it may take depending on the severity and number of violations. Even so, in terms of the four clues, the word "permanent" in a notice is one of the "words that indicate severity," and this word alone doesn't tell you whether you can appeal. First, look in the body of the notice for how or by when to appeal, and on the Account Health page for "Reinstate your selling account." If you find neither, check where your account stands now on that page and with Support.
Words to pick out of a notice
- Severity: "temporarily," "permanently," "permanent"
- Process: "appeal," "to reactivate your account," "will be considered for reinstatement"
- Deadlines: "within X days," "by the deadline"
- Conclusion: "decided not to reinstate," "we may not be able to respond"
- Funds, inventory, and orders: "held," "unshipped orders," "inventory removal"
What to check in the notice, from the perspective of the Agreement and the law
The Agreement (Japanese version) lists the following four situations in which Amazon may immediately suspend or terminate your use of its services.
- You materially breach the Agreement and fail to cure the breach within 7 days of notice to cure (this period may be shortened or waived if Amazon is liable to a third party)
- Your account has been, or has been identified as possibly being, used for deceptive, fraudulent, or illegal activity
- You have harmed (or may harm) other sellers, customers, or Amazon's legitimate interests
- Your Account Health Rating has fallen below the threshold for deactivation
In these cases, the general rule is that Amazon will promptly notify you with the reason and your options for appeal, but there are exceptions, such as when doing so would impede an investigation or fraud prevention, so some notices may give reasons that feel vague. Termination for Amazon's convenience requires 30 days' notice. Use the following table to check the notice you received.
| Item to check | Where to look | If it's unclear |
|---|---|---|
| Reason for the action | The reason section in the body of the notice | Compare your Performance Notifications against your list of violations |
| How to appeal | The body of the notice; the top of the Account Health page | Check whether "Reinstate your selling account" (出品用アカウントの再開) is displayed |
| Deadline | The body of the notice | Note the date you received it and the deadline, and confirm with Support |
| Affected products/ASINs | The bottom of the first notice | Check Product Policy Compliance and Manage Inventory (在庫管理) |
How the Transparency Act applies
On April 1, 2021, Amazon Japan G.K. was designated a specified digital platform provider (comprehensive online retail mall) under the Act on Improving Transparency and Fairness of Specified Digital Platforms (特定デジタルプラットフォームの透明性及び公正性の向上に関する法律, the "Transparency Act"). The Act and its enforcement regulations require the provider, when refusing to provide part of its services to a seller who uses them on an ongoing basis, to disclose what is being refused and why, and when refusing to provide all of its services, to disclose that fact and the reason, as a rule at least 30 days in advance (there are exceptions, such as cases where disclosure without delay is sufficient). The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) lists "account suspension" as an example of a matter subject to disclosure, and for comprehensive online retail malls, withholding all or part of the payment of sales proceeds is also subject to disclosure of what is being done and why. Which of these applies to you is a legal assessment, so if you have questions, consult a lawyer.
What to do when Amazon has suspended you: deadlines before wording
If the action was initiated by Amazon and there are instructions for appealing, proceed in the following order. We also lay out the overall process in the full picture from account suspension to reinstatement request.
STEP 1. Write down the date received, the deadline, and what is affected
Put the date and time you received the notice, the deadline, the affected products or ASINs, and the information being requested together on a single sheet of notes. Notices arrive by email or in Seller Central, and if your account becomes subject to deactivation you may also receive a phone call offering one-on-one support, so keep your registered email address and the phone number under Emergency Notifications (緊急通知) in Notification Preferences (通知設定) up to date.
STEP 2. Determine whether it affects your whole account or individual listings
If listings have been removed, check the details on the Product Policy Compliance tab of the Account Health page, or, if it isn't shown there, in the inactive listings under Manage Inventory and in Performance Notifications (パフォーマンス通知), and then either appeal or fix the listing information.
STEP 3. Appeal from the Account Health page
If your whole account has been suspended, go to Performance (パフォーマンス) > Account Health and use "Reinstate your selling account" at the top of the page to appeal, following the instructions. If you are asked for additional information, submit it from "View account health requests" (アカウント健全性の要請を見る). Amazon says a response to an appeal may take up to about 2 days, but this is only a guide to how long a reply takes; it says nothing about when, or whether, your account will be reinstated. If you believe the suspension was made in error, submit your explanation by following the instructions on the same page.
STEP 4. Build your appeal on the facts
Amazon's official guidelines ask you to avoid emotional language and state the facts concisely, to show the root cause and the actions you have taken along with the dates they were taken and supporting documents, and to provide evidence for all products under review. The list of affected products is at the bottom of the first notice, and for some products you'll need invoices covering the past 365 days. To point out key details in your documents, such as ASINs and supplier names, mark them by circling them or similar, without altering the content of the documents. How to put your appeal together is covered in how to build a plan of action.
A suspension caused by account health won't be lifted just by waiting
For suspensions caused by your Account Health Rating, Amazon explains that your account will be reinstated once your responses to violations or your appeals are accepted and your score returns to the baseline (100). On the other hand, violations that can normally be removed after 180 days will remain even after 180 days have passed in this case. Address each remaining violation one by one. How to check them is explained in how to review your Account Health score.
Track deadlines for funds, inventory, and orders side by side
| Item | Official explanation | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Sales proceeds | If Amazon determines that a seller's actions or performance create risk, funds are generally held for 90 days, and the hold may be extended. If Amazon determines there has been deceptive or fraudulent activity, funds are held until it is confirmed there is no problem. The Agreement also provides that Amazon may permanently withhold payments if it determines the account has been used to engage in deceptive, fraudulent, or illegal activity or to repeatedly violate its policies. If the hold is not released through an appeal, for example, you can separately file an appeal requesting payment after 60 days have passed from the date the funds were held | Check your balance in Payments Reports (ペイメントレポート) |
| FBA inventory | The Agreement provides that if you are notified that removal is required because of suspension, termination, or closure (the provision specifically covers unfulfillable units), or after the Agreement ends, and you do not give instructions to return or dispose of the inventory within 30 days (or within the period set by policy), Amazon may return or dispose of it | Check the notice for the actual units affected and the deadline, and give instructions to return or dispose of them |
| Unshipped orders | There are examples of notices asking sellers to ship them | Continue shipping and handling customer inquiries |
| Transactions before termination | Even after the Agreement ends, obligations and liabilities related to transactions made before termination remain the seller's responsibility | Keep records of how you handled returns and refunds |
Details on held funds and requesting payment are covered in how to check your sales proceeds after a suspension.
If you closed your account yourself, it can't be undone
Closing your selling account yourself (出品用アカウントの解約) cannot be undone. According to Amazon's official Help, a closed account cannot be reactivated even by Amazon, and to sell again you'll need to register a new account. This is the single biggest difference between action taken by Amazon, where there is a path to appeal, and closing your account yourself. Note that Amazon also states that it may close a selling account at its own discretion in cases such as an excessive number or dollar amount of A-to-z Guarantee claims. Official sources do not confirm whether you can appeal in this case, so first check whether the body of the notice explains how to appeal or gives a deadline; if it doesn't say, confirm your current status on the Account Health page and with Support.
Checks official Help asks you to complete before closing your account
- Ship all unshipped orders
- Wait 90 days after your last sale, the period during which A-to-z Guarantee claims can be filed
- Wait until your account balance reaches zero
- Resolve all transactions with buyers, including refunds
- Update your bank account information
- Check Performance Notifications to confirm that all reasons for any suspension have been resolved
- Request that your FBA inventory be returned or disposed of
The official procedure follows the order "resolve any suspension first, then close," and if your account can't be closed, you'll receive an email explaining why and what additional steps to take. After closing, you can't log in, view your order history, process returns and refunds, or contact buyers, so save any records you need for your books beforehand. Details on preparation, including how closure is handled in each region, are summarized in preparing to close your seller account.
A closed Amazon shopping account also cannot be restored, and Amazon says closing it affects data associated with Seller Central, so don't close it while suspended as a way of tidying up (see what to check before closing your shopping account for points to confirm).
Options that don't require closing your account
These are options for sellers considering closing their account to pause sales or cut costs; they are not a solution to a suspension by Amazon.
| Option | What it involves | Things to note |
|---|---|---|
| Vacation setting | Set your listing status to "Inactive" under Store status in Settings (設定) > Account Info (アカウント設定). Your listings stop being displayed within 1 hour | FBA listings remain active. You must still respond to return requests and buyer messages within 24 hours. The monthly subscription fee also continues |
| Switching to the Individual plan | Change from the Professional plan (¥4,900 per month, excluding tax) to the Individual plan (a per-item closing fee of ¥100 for each item sold, excluding tax). Referral fees apply separately under both plans | You lose access to features such as bulk uploads and order reports |
Points to check before switching are explained in switching from the Professional to the Individual plan.
What not to do
- Letting deadlines pass: Notices have been seen that are worded so that the action becomes more severe once the deadline passes.
- Altering or recreating documents, or giving explanations that don't match the facts: This violates Amazon's policies and must never be done. Amazon states that suspected fraud or deception leads to immediate suspension regardless of your score, and there are examples of notices declining reinstatement on the grounds that involvement in deceptive activity was found. The Agreement also provides that sales proceeds may be permanently withheld if Amazon determines the account was used for deceptive or fraudulent purposes.
- Creating a new account or using someone else's account: Unless you have a legitimate business need and all of your accounts are in good standing, you may have only one selling account per region. If you have a suspended account, your accounts cannot be said to be "in good standing," so assume this exception does not apply. A single issue can lead to all of your accounts being suspended, and Amazon staff have also said that creating a new account while suspended may make things worse. Accounts cannot be transferred, either.
- Relying on services that claim to guarantee reinstatement or on suggestions to get around Amazon's policies: Whether your account is reinstated is decided by Amazon's review. Amazon does not endorse third-party consulting services or the like, and it warns sellers to watch out for fraud and misinformation from outside resources. When choosing where to get help, look at whether they avoid promising guarantees, whether they refrain from suggesting policy violations such as opening a new account or altering documents, and whether they base their explanations on your own notices and documents.
What to organize before seeking advice on reinstatement
If you can't tell what your status is, your deadline is approaching, or you don't understand what a reply means, consider where to seek advice sooner rather than later. Having the following information on hand will let you explain your situation accurately.
What to have on hand before seeking advice
- The full text of the notice (including the date and time received and the deadline)
- Records of your Account Health page and Performance Notifications
- The content of your previous appeals and Amazon's replies
- The affected products/ASINs and supporting documents such as supplier invoices
- Your sales proceeds balance, FBA inventory, and the status of unshipped orders
- The stores you sell in and whether you have any other related accounts
| Where to get help | What they can help with | Things to note |
|---|---|---|
| Account Health Support | Confirming what a notice means and what steps to take | Summarize what you want to say in advance. Contact methods and eligibility may vary depending on your selling plan and other factors, so check Help |
| Digital Platform Transaction Consultation Desk (デジタルプラットフォーム取引相談窓口, for businesses using online malls) | Operated by the Japan Direct Marketing Association on commission from METI. Offers free advice on how to ask questions of, or raise concerns with, the mall | Does not provide mediation, intermediation, or conciliation |
| Lawyers and tax accountants | Legal and tax consultations | For individual judgments, such as how the Transparency Act applies or how to handle bookkeeping and taxes, check with a lawyer or tax accountant |
When contacting Support, listing your questions by number makes it easier to organize the answers (preparation before contacting them is explained in preparing to contact Account Health Support). The following is a hypothetical sample message, not a real case; adapt it to match your own notice.
I would like to ask about the notice regarding my selling account that I received on [month/day]. The notice uses both "temporarily suspended" and "permanently closed," and I am unable to determine the current status of my account.
1. The current status of my account
2. The deadline for submitting an appeal
3. The information and documents I need to submit
4. The products (ASINs) under review
I would appreciate your guidance.
Frequently asked questions
Q. If the notice says "closed," does that mean I can no longer appeal?
A. You can't tell from the wording alone. Check whether the notice explains how to appeal or gives a deadline, and whether "Reinstate your selling account" appears on the Account Health page.
Q. What should I do after receiving a message saying Amazon has decided not to reinstate my account?
A. First, check whether the notice explains how to resubmit or reply. There are examples of notices stating "we may not be able to respond," and we have not been able to find any official information that applies across the board on whether you can appeal again after such a decision. Confirm your current status on the Account Health page and with Support, and if you are considering legal action, consult a lawyer.
Q. How can I tell an "Inactive" status I set myself apart from a suspension by Amazon?
A. If you changed your status to "Inactive" yourself under Store status, switching it back to "Active" will make your listings visible again within 1 hour. With a suspension by Amazon, you receive a notice directing you to appeal from "Reinstate your selling account" on the Account Health page.
Q. If I'm eligible for Account Health Assurance, am I protected from suspension?
A. Amazon states that eligible Professional sellers will not be suspended as long as they can be reached within 72 hours of an issue arising that could lead to suspension and are working with Amazon to resolve it. However, serious violations such as fraudulent, deceptive, illegal, or harmful activity may still result in immediate suspension.
Summary
We could find no official document that defines "suspended" and "closed," and the wording alone doesn't determine how serious your situation is.
- Identify your current status using four points: the starting point, words that indicate severity, deadlines and appeal instructions, and what you see on screen
- There are examples where reinstatement was offered despite the word "closed," and where reinstatement was declined despite the word "suspended." Read the body, not the subject line
- Appeal a whole-account suspension by Amazon from "Reinstate your selling account" (check removals of individual listings under Product Policy Compliance and similar pages), and track the deadlines for notices, funds, and inventory side by side
- A selling account you closed yourself cannot be reactivated. Don't try to settle things while suspended by closing your selling account or your shopping account
When you receive a notice, the starting point is to check the deadline and instructions first and sort out the facts one at a time. If you're unsure how to read the notice or how to proceed, gather your documents and consider where to seek advice early on.
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Further reading
Preparing to close an Amazon seller account: outstanding orders, inventory and payments Read article → 
Before closing an Amazon buyer account: balances, orders and linked services Read article → 
From Amazon account suspension to an appeal: reviewing the notice and planning your response Read article →