Terms of Service

Japan Elite Mastery Service (JEMS) is a logistics education and research consultancy. We are not a travel agency, tour operator, or licensed travel arranger under Japan's Travel Agency Act (旅行業法).

• We provide education, routing research, cultural briefings, and logistics coaching
• We do not book third-party transport, hotels, or restaurants on your behalf for a commission
• All reservations are made by the Client directly — JEMS provides the knowledge, scripts, and support to make this seamless
• Our fees cover knowledge and time, not the procurement of travel services

All JEMS documents — including Precision Itineraries, Station Walkthrough Guides, Reservation Confirmation Dossiers, and Digital Ticket Pre-Organization materials — are the intellectual property of JEMS.

These materials are provided to the Client under a non-transferable, non-exclusive license for personal use only. Redistribution, resale, or commercial use of any JEMS deliverable is strictly prohibited without prior written consent.

All content on the JEMS website — including text, images, design, and code — is protected by copyright. You may not reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from our website content without permission.

Payment Schedule

• Planning Deposit: $1,500 — due upon signing of engagement agreement. Non-refundable once Phase A work has commenced.
• Integration Day Fee: $1,000 — due 14 days before the trip start date.
• Concierge Retainer: $200/day — billed at start of trip, paid in full before Day 1.

Cancellation Policy

• 30+ days before trip start: Planning Deposit retained; all other fees refunded in full.
• 14–29 days before trip start: Planning Deposit and Integration Day Fee retained; Concierge Retainer refunded.
• Less than 13 days before trip start: Full package fee retained.

All cancellation terms are confirmed in the engagement agreement signed at the time of deposit.

JEMS clients agree to adhere to Japanese laws and cultural norms throughout their engagement. The "Invisible Guest" standard is not a suggestion — it is a condition of service.

JEMS reserves the right to terminate services immediately, without refund, if a client engages in:

• Disrespectful, aggressive, or culturally insensitive behavior toward locals, staff, or service providers
• Unauthorized photography in restricted areas, including geisha districts, private neighborhoods, and sacred sites
• Exploitation of cultural access for viral social media content that violates the Invisible Guest ethic
• Any activity that is illegal under Japanese law or violates local regulations
• Attempting to access areas that are closed to the public, restricted for cultural or religious reasons, or where the presence of outsiders would be unwelcome

You may use the JEMS website for its intended purpose — learning about our services, exploring the Itinerary Builder, using the Cost Estimator, and submitting inquiries or questionnaires.

You may not:

• Scrape, crawl, or systematically extract content from the website
• Attempt to interfere with the website's operation or security
• Misrepresent your identity or affiliation when submitting forms
• Use the website for any commercial purpose without our written consent

JEMS provides logistics consulting and education services. To the maximum extent permitted by law, JEMS shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of our services or website.

Our total liability for any claim arising from our services shall not exceed the total fees paid by you for the specific engagement giving rise to the claim.

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless JEMS, its founders, employees, and contractors from any claims, damages, or expenses arising from your breach of these terms, your conduct during travel, or your interactions with third-party vendors.

These terms are governed by the laws of Japan. Any disputes arising from these terms or our services shall be resolved through good-faith negotiation first. If negotiation fails, disputes shall be submitted to binding arbitration in Tokyo, Japan, conducted in English.

If any provision of these terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

We may update these Terms of Service from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated date. Continued use of our website or services after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.

If you have questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us via our inquiry form or email.