Japanese Card Grading Companies: ARS, CGS, VSS and PSA Japan

By PulloraX ·

Japan-origin card grading services include ARS, Clove’s CGS and Collectest’s VSS. PSA Japan is the Japanese operation of US-headquartered PSA. These are distinct groups to understand when buying Japanese Pokémon, One Piece and other collectible cards. This overview is not an exhaustive directory of grading services.

Japanese services and international operations in Japan
Service Operator or affiliation What to check
ARS Arsales, Japan Grading standard and certification number
CGS Clove / TrustHub, Japan The full name Clove Grading Service
VSS Collectest, Japan Grading result and card details
PSA Japan PSA’s Japanese operation Japan submission route and service terms

Official sources: ARS — Company Profile · ARS — Grading Service · CGS — Operator and Service Terms · Collectest — VSS Site Renewal, 2025-06-06 · PSA Japan — About PSA

ARS: centering does not reduce the grade

ARS’s official standard assesses preservation condition without deducting for print misalignment such as centering. The 10+ designation is reserved for perfect condition; AU means authentication without a numerical grade. Consequently, do not assume an ARS 10 will receive the same grade elsewhere. Check whether the card’s appearance also meets your own preferences.

Official sources: ARS — Grading Standards

CGS: Clove’s grading service

CGS means Clove Grading Service, operated by TrustHub. Its Gem-Mint 10 standard includes centering. Check the full company name in a listing: CGS and CGC are different names, and that one-letter difference changes who assigned the grade.

Official sources: CGS — Clove Grading Service · CGS — Operator and Service Terms

VSS: human checks alongside AI

Collectest describes VSS as a Japanese grading service combining human examination and AI, with market-price information as well. That information can aid comparison; it is not a guaranteed sale price for your copy. Card identity, condition and transaction details still need separate checks.

Official sources: Collectest — VSS Service · Collectest — VSS Site Renewal, 2025-06-06

Is PSA Japan a Japanese grading company?

PSA operates in Japan but is headquartered in Southern California. Its Japanese website describes grading completed domestically in Japan. Submission location, card language and a grading company’s origin are three different details. A Japanese-language card can also be graded outside Japan.

Official sources: PSA Japan — About PSA · PSA Japan — Official Site

How do you check a graded card before buying in Japan?

  1. Request clear photographs of the exact copy: front, back, label and holder. A generic product image cannot resolve small differences.
  2. Record the company, certification number, complete grade, language, card number, set and variant. Similar artwork does not necessarily identify the same edition.
  3. ARS provides an official database search by certification number or card name. Start on the company’s website and compare the available record with the offered copy.
  4. If a number is missing or details contradict the listing, seek clarification from the company and seller before drawing conclusions or completing a purchase.

A database result checks information; it does not physically examine the seller’s card. Our certificate guide covers additional checks for PSA, BGS and CGC.

Official sources: ARS — Certification Search

How should you choose for the Japanese market?

Start with the purpose: displaying a personal collection, documenting condition or selling to a particular audience. For display, consider the holder’s appearance and the criteria that matter to you. For resale, find completed sales matching the card, language, variant, grading company and full grade. If comparable sales are missing, acknowledge the gap instead of transferring a PSA 10 price to another holder. An asking price is not a completed sale, and a small database population is not necessarily the total number of surviving copies.

What should you confirm before submitting cards in Japan?

  1. Whether the exact card and version are accepted, and whether you can submit from your country and receive return delivery at your address.
  2. Whether a Japanese address, local account or intermediary is required; who holds responsibility at each stage and handles problems.
  3. What the quote includes: grading, shipping, insurance, intermediary fees and currency conversion. Compare offers on the same basis.
  4. The current processing estimate, when the clock starts and the submission rules. Do not visit an office without confirmation: at our check, ARS said it did not accept direct drop-offs.

Official sources: ARS — FAQ

Quick answers: does ARS 10 equal PSA 10? Is CGS the same as CGC?

There is no automatic conversion between companies’ grades, and Clove’s CGS is not CGC. Choosing a Japanese service does not guarantee a higher sale price either. Match the card, variant, company and complete grade before comparing relevant completed sales.

How we prepared this guide

We checked identities and service descriptions against company websites. Selection and comparison guidance is PulloraX’s practical analysis, without popularity rankings or return promises. Eligibility, fees and processing times can change; confirm them directly with the service before submitting.

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