I went to the postal website and for international priority mail there is a link to size restrictions - and Japan is among the countries for which the 79" rule appears not to apply - instead there is a 108" length girth limit with 60" maximum length. If I am reading this correctly, it would imply that sending a frame box to Japan would be well under the $130 price you mention to send rims.
If for some reason my reading of this is in error, please let me know. Otherwise, it looks like shipping a frame box to Japan by priority isn't much more painful then sending a box across the US.
This shipping stuff in any case is getting much more costly than it was years ago.
Mike Kone in Boulder CO
> On 5/21/07, scott davis wrote:
\r?\n> > The P.O. has eliminated Sea Mail and Parcel Post Air. They also apparently
\r?\n> turned all international shipping over to their partner, FEDEX. So all large
\r?\n> boxes (larger than 79" Length + Girth) have gone to dimensional pricing and
\r?\n> can only be shipped via Guaranteed Express Mail.
\r?\n> >
\r?\n> > This means a typical rim box, which is 84" total and weighs 1.5 KG will now
\r?\n> cost about 130.00 to Japan--a little less to Europe. And a typical frame box
\r?\n> weighing about 7 KG will cost approx 230.00 to 275.00 to Japan and a little less
\r?\n> to Europe. Even rates to Canada are about 1/2 of above.
\r?\n> >
\r?\n> > See Postal Calculater for details:
\r?\n> > http://ircalc.usps.gov/
\r?\n> >
\r?\n> >
\r?\n> > Know of any cheap shipping alternatives?
\r?\n>
\r?\n> For Canada, I'd almost suggest a relay, send it to one of us near the
\r?\n> border, smuggle it over, then ship it once inside.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Eric Phillips
\r?\n> Southfield, MI (15 minutes from Canada)
\r?\n> USA