1. Agreement for distribution

The Microbial Culture Collection at the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES-Collection) will distribute strains to users who agree to the following conditions:

2. Ordering strains

2-1. Ordering culture strains

Online order

1. Search and order the strain(s)

1.1

Search the strain(s) from [Strain list - Alphabetical index-], [Strain list - Systematic index-], and [Search strain data].

1.2

Click Add to Cart button the strain(s) you need.

1.3

Click Cancel button the strain(s) you not need, from remove of cart.

1.4

When you order from the Strain Data page or Search Result page, click View Cart button.

2. Check the view cart of your order

2.1

Select [Your category] and [Affiliation category]

2.2

Confirm strain no., scientific name, remarks, etc.

2.3

Enter the object of the use (please clearly state your purpose of use, this is especially important for international orders to avoid quarantine stop of the parcel), and click Continue button.

3. Enter your information to 'Strain ordering form'

• For New registration
Enter your personal information and click the Next button.
Necessary to enter.

• For Repeater
Enter the e-mail address, Password and click the Next button.

4. Check the 'Ordering form and agreement for distribution'

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4.1

Check 'Your order' and 'Your registration information'

4.2

When you want to change 'Your registration information', click Correction of your information button.

4.3

Please read 'Agreement for distribution.' The NIES-Collection will distribute strains to users who agree to these conditions.

4.4

Click Submit ordering form button. Your order will be completed. Confirmation e-mail from the NIES-Collection will be sent to your registered e-mail address.

5. Print the 'Ordering form and agreement for distribution' and send via e-mail attachment the original document properly signed

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Print the 'Ordering form and agreement for distribution' by clicking Print this page button, send via e-mail attachment the hand signed doccument to the address below.
If you are a student / part-timer, the NIES-Collection requests a signature of your supervisor / employer.

Please note that we can ship the strain(s) only after we receive the document (with the user's signature and date) of the “Ordering form and agreement for distribution”.

Order by regular mail

We will accept your order by regular mail (air-mail, FedEex). Requests to the NIES-Collection for strains shall be made by completing the “Ordering form and agreement for distribution”, and by sending two original copies via air-mail to the following address. After being signed by the administrator at the NIES, one copy of the “Ordering form and agreement for distribution” will be sent back to the user. If the user is a student or a part-time employee, the documents should be named and signed by his/her supervisor or employer. Requests by e-mail and fax and online orders are available, but in any requests to the NIES-Collection for strains two original copies of the “Ordering form and agreement for distribution” with the user's signature (and supervisor's/employer's signature, if needed) and date are necessary. We will ship the strain only after reception of the two signed original copies of the “Ordering form and agreement for distribution” sent by air-mail.

2.2. Receipt of the strain

Within 1 week of the strain reception, the user is asked to complete Strain Order Feedback Form on the website.

3. Price and payment

3.1. Price

3.1.1. Strain price

International order from overseas: shipping cost will be charged in addition to the strain price.
Domestic order in Japan: the sales tax and shipping cost will be charged in addition to the strain price.

3.1.2. Shipping cost

An estimation of the shipping cost for one strain is indicated in the table below. The shipping cost will depends on the final weight. Note that the final exact shipping cost is quoted in the invoice together with the strain fee.

Shipping cost for one strain

Packages are usually sent by EMS. Please check EMS website to make sure that your area is under delivery. If not, the only alternatives are FedEx or DHL services. Please, send us your FedEx or DHL account identification number to prepare the shipping.
Note that the quickest delivery to USA, is by using FedEx. Upon your specific request we can send packages via FedEx; simply send us your FedEx account identification number.

ATTENTION: if your location is not included in the EMS delivery area and you cannot use FedEx or DHL, we may not be able to proceed to your order. Please, contact us for confirmation.

3.2. For USA customers

The NIES-Microbial Culture Collection being a national institution of Japan does not fall under the requirement to fill the form W-8BEN-E ( Certificate of Foreign status of beneficial owner for United States Tax Withholding). Please, make sure with your own administration that the payment procedure can be done without the form W-8BEN-E.

3.3. Payment

For the international order, we require payment in advance and recommend you to pay by credit card. Once we receive the signed document, we will inform payment procedures including approximate shipping date by e-mail. Please also note that we accept Japanese Yen only. If you would like to pay by bank transfer, please inform us your requirement in advance. In this case, charge for bank transfer should be made at the user´s expenses, and an additional charge of 6,900 JPY is required as the bank transfer fee. Notice, 6,900 JPY covers all fee for the bank transfer. Please select an option that the transfer fee will be paid by recipient.