Bringing Medications to Japan

You can bring up to one month's supply of prescription drugs into Japan, and up to two month's supply of non-prescription drugs without completing any paperwork. This same rule applies to mailing prescription and/or non-prescription drugs.

It is always a good idea to have a copy of the prescription and/or letter from the prescribing physician explaining the nature of the medication, the purpose of taking it, recommended dosage, and frequency of ingestion.

Most prescription drugs are permitted, including drugs that may not be available in Japan, such as birth control pills. Drugs that are hallucinogenic, narcotic, and/or psychotropic in nature will be confiscated, except in extenuating circumstances where prior approval has been obtained (e.g., a cancer patient taking a type of medication that has a high percentage of pain killer; these cases are treated on a case by case basis).

The following over-the-counter medications are prohibited in Japan since they contain narcotic or stimulant ingredients in excess of the Japanese standard:

a) Tylenol Cold
b) Nyquil
c) Nyquil Liquicaps
d) Actifed
e) Sudafed
f) Advil Cold & Sinus
g) Dristan Cold ("No Drowsiness")
h) Dristan Sinus
i) Drixoral Sinus
j) Vicks Inhaler
k) Lomotil

(The above information was obtained from the Consulate General of Japan at Chicago)

If you wish to take more than a months supply of prescription drugs or more than a two months supply of non-prescription drugs to Japan, you must obtain a "Yakkan Shoumei," an importation certificate. Link to instructions for obtaining a "Yakkan Shoumei" here.*

Please find additional information on brining medication into Japan for personal use from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare here, and yet another link here.

We realize that this is a lot of information, and it can be difficult to navigate at first. We recommend beginning the application for the "Yakkan Shoumei" as soon as possible; and we hope that you will feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns about this process.

*Please note: The Yakkan Shoumei link instructs you to include a return envelope with Japanese Postal Stamps or Coupon-Réponse International. Japanese Postal Stamps may be difficult to attain in the US, but International Reply Coupons (Coupon-Réponse International) can usually be purchased (or in the case that they are not is stock, ordered) at major post offices.