Australia and Japan latest countries to stop some postal services to US for goods valued at less than $800.Australia and Japan have joined a growing list of countries suspending some parcel shipments to the United States after US President Donald Trump’s administration ended an exemption that allowed packages valued at less than $800 to enter the country duty-free.With the “de minimis” exemption set to end on Friday, Australia Post announced that it was implementing “a temporary partial suspension”.In a statement on Tuesday, Australia Post said it was “disappointed” but the decision was necessary “due to the complex and rapidly evolving situation”.Packages sent to the US and Puerto Rico lodged on or after Tuesday will not be accepted until further notice, the postal service said. Gifts valued at less than $100, letters and documents are unaffected by the change.Australia Post said it would continue to work with the US and Australian authorities and international postal partners to resume services to the US soon.Japan Post made a similar announcement on Monday, saying the suspension of some parcel shipments was necessary.The procedures for transport and postal operators were “not clear”, which is “making implementation difficult”, Japan Post said. A woman leaves a branch of postal service operator Japan Post in Kawasaki, near Tokyo, Japan [File: Yuriko Nakao/Reuters]Australian public broadcaster ABC said some businesses that make prod …
