How to Find a Japanese OTC Medicine Equivalent
Your usual brand may not exist in Japan, and a Japanese product that looks similar may contain something different. The reliable way to find an equivalent is to match the active ingredient, then the strength, form and warnings. Here is how, with the Japanese names of common ingredients.
Quick answer
Find the generic (active ingredient) name on your overseas box, look up its Japanese name (for example paracetamol is アセトアミノフェン), and show both the box and the Japanese name to a pharmacist. Check the strength, form, age limit and any extra ingredients before buying, and follow the Japanese label, not your overseas directions.
Take several medicines or have a complicated label? A Japanese translation of your medication list shows the pharmacist every ingredient and strength at a glance.
Translate my medication listOn this page
"Equivalent" does not always mean the same medicine
Two products can be sold for the same symptom but contain different active ingredients. They can also differ in strength, tablet type, release mechanism, age limit or extra ingredients.
Do not choose a Japanese medicine because its packaging, colour, brand family or symptom claim looks familiar. Match the active ingredient first.
Japanese names of common OTC ingredients
Japanese packaging lists active ingredients in katakana. These common ingredients are sold over the counter in Japan, but brand, strength, age limit and class vary by product, so ask the pharmacist to confirm.
| Ingredient (overseas name) | Japanese | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Paracetamol / acetaminophen | アセトアミノフェン | Pain and fever |
| Ibuprofen | イブプロフェン | Pain, fever and inflammation (Japanese OTC: 15 and over) |
| Loratadine | ロラタジン | Hay fever and allergy |
| Fexofenadine | フェキソフェナジン | Hay fever and allergy |
| Cetirizine | セチリジン | Hay fever and allergy |
| Diphenhydramine | ジフェンヒドラミン | Allergy; in Japan mainly sold as a sleep aid |
| Famotidine | ファモチジン | Heartburn and acid reduction |
| Loperamide | ロペラミド | Diarrhoea |
For painkillers specifically, see Acetaminophen in Japan: Tylenol, Panadol and Calonal.
Collect this information about your usual medicine
Bring the original box, blister pack, pharmacy label or a clear photo of every side. The front of the box is not enough; the pharmacist needs the full ingredient and strength panel.
Product details
- Brand name
- Generic or active ingredient names
- Amount of each ingredient per tablet, capsule, millilitre or dose
- Tablet, liquid, cream, spray, patch or other form
- Immediate, extended or modified release
Your details
- Age, and weight for children
- Main symptom and how long you have had it
- Allergies and previous reactions
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Medical conditions and other medicines
A seven-step process for finding a suitable Japanese option
- Identify the active ingredientUse the generic name. One brand can have several formulas, and the same brand can differ between countries.
- Record the exact strengthThe amount of each ingredient per tablet, capsule, millilitre, sachet, patch or dose.
- Confirm the form and release typeLiquid, chewable, enteric-coated and extended-release products are not interchangeable just because the ingredient is the same.
- Search by ingredient or symptomUse the English Find OTC Medicines database as a starting point, not an individual recommendation.
- Show the pharmacist the originalPresent the box, ingredient list and everything you have already taken. Ask whether the Japanese product duplicates anything.
- Read the full Japanese labelIngredients, age limits, warnings, dose intervals, maximum duration and drowsiness.
- Follow the Japanese directionsDo not apply an overseas dosing schedule. If the match is uncertain, ask a pharmacist or doctor before substituting.
Japan's OTC medicine classes
Japan groups non-prescription medicines by risk, which decides who can sell them and explain them to you. The class is printed on the box.
| Class on the box | Risk level | Who explains it | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| 要指導医薬品 (requires guidance) | Recently switched from prescription | Pharmacist, face to face | Expect screening questions before purchase. |
| 第1類医薬品 (Class 1) | Higher | Pharmacist | Only sold when a pharmacist is on duty. |
| 第2類医薬品 (Class 2) | Moderate | Pharmacist or registered seller | Most cold, pain and stomach medicines. |
| 第3類医薬品 (Class 3) | Lower | Pharmacist or registered seller | Vitamins, digestive aids and similar. |
The class is not a safety guarantee for you personally. OTC medicines can still cause side effects, interact with other medicines or be unsuitable for a condition. Some cough and cold medicines are also monitored for misuse, so staff may ask questions or limit how many you can buy.
Where travellers commonly go wrong
Cold and flu products
Often combine a fever reducer, antihistamine, cough suppressant and more. They rarely match a single-ingredient product from home. See Cold and flu medicine in Japan.
Pain and fever
Products may contain acetaminophen, ibuprofen, loxoprofen or aspirin. Each has different age limits and precautions.
Allergy medicine
Antihistamines differ in drowsiness and duration, and many cold medicines already contain one, creating a double dose.
Stomach medicine
"Stomach medicine" can mean antacids, acid reducers, enzymes, anti-diarrhoeals, laxatives or herbal (kampo) blends. Identify the symptom and ingredient.
Sleep and travel sickness
Often contain sedating antihistamines. Do not combine with alcohol, sleeping tablets or another antihistamine.
Creams, patches and sprays
May contain anti-inflammatories, anaesthetics or antihistamines. Check where they can be applied and any sun or pregnancy warnings.
How to ask for help at a Japanese pharmacy
Pharmacies are marked 薬局 (yakkyoku); drugstores often say ドラッグストア. Ask specifically for a pharmacist when your history or the substitution is complicated.
| English | Japanese |
|---|---|
| Is there an OTC medicine with the same active ingredient as this? | この薬と同じ有効成分の市販薬はありますか？ Kono kusuri to onaji yūkō seibun no shihanyaku wa arimasu ka? |
| Could you check the active ingredient and strength? | 有効成分と含有量を確認していただけますか？ Yūkō seibun to gan'yūryō o kakunin shite itadakemasu ka? |
| Is it safe to use this together with this medicine? | この薬と一緒に使っても大丈夫ですか？ Kono kusuri to issho ni tsukatte mo daijōbu desu ka? |
| I would like to speak to a pharmacist. | 薬剤師に相談したいです。 Yakuzaishi ni sōdan shitai desu. |
Show, do not say. Present the box, the ingredient list and a written medication record rather than pronouncing ingredient names from memory.
English tools for researching Japanese medicines
Find OTC Medicines
The Japan Self-Medication Database Center's English search covers participating Japanese OTC products, by body area, symptom or ingredient. Search Japanese OTC medicines in English.
PMDA package inserts
PMDA publishes English translations of some package inserts. They are references only; the current Japanese insert is the official document. View PMDA English package inserts.
Online information can be out of date. Always check the physical box you are buying.
Finding a Japanese alternative is separate from importing medicine
Whether a medicine is sold in Japan has no bearing on whether you can bring your own overseas product. Import rules depend on the full formula, quantity, form and classification. Up to two months' supply of an ordinary non-prescription medicine is generally allowed, but combination cold, sinus, cough and sleep products need particular care: pseudoephedrine, for example, is classed as a stimulant raw material.
Want to bring your own medicine instead? A written assessment checks each active ingredient, strength and quantity against current published guidance.
Get my medication assessed (from US$59)See also the prohibited and restricted medication guide and Is Benadryl allowed in Japan?
When to stop searching and see a doctor
OTC treatment suits common symptoms you can recognise and manage safely. See a doctor instead for:
- difficulty breathing, chest pain, collapse or confusion
- a severe allergic reaction, facial swelling or widespread blistering rash
- significant bleeding, repeated vomiting or severe dehydration
- a possible overdose or double dose
- new neurological symptoms or a sudden severe headache
- symptoms in an infant, a frail older person or someone medically vulnerable
- a condition that needs a prescription medicine or ongoing monitoring
For suitable non-emergency concerns, MedicTranslate can help you arrange an online English medical consultation or find foreign-friendly clinics. The doctor decides whether remote or in-person care is appropriate.
Need help identifying or translating a medicine?
MedicTranslate translates prescriptions, medication lists and product information into Japanese, and assesses medicines you plan to bring to Japan. Product selection and dosing remain with pharmacists and doctors.
- Medication lists with active ingredients, strengths and Japanese names
- Interpreter support for pharmacy and clinic visits
- from US$59 written assessment for medicines you bring into Japan
Assessment price from US$59. An assessment is information, not a clearance or legal advice. Translation quotes depend on document length and language pair. Subject to the applicable terms.
Frequently asked questions
Can I search for a Japanese medicine using an overseas brand name?
Use it as a starting point, but identify the active ingredients, strength and form before comparing products. Overseas brand names often do not exist in Japan.
What is paracetamol called in Japan?
Acetaminophen, written アセトアミノフェン. It is the same ingredient and is widely sold over the counter.
Does the same active ingredient mean the products are identical?
No. Strength, form, release type, inactive ingredients, age limits and directions can differ.
Can a drugstore employee help me choose a medicine?
Depending on the class, a pharmacist or registered seller can advise. Class 1 and "requires guidance" medicines need a pharmacist. Ask for a pharmacist when your situation is complex.
Can I use my overseas dosing instructions for a Japanese product?
No. Follow the directions for the exact Japanese product or the advice of a pharmacist or doctor.
Why do Japanese cold medicines contain so many ingredients?
Many are combination products for several symptoms at once, which makes it important to check for duplicated fever, allergy, cough, congestion or sedating ingredients.
Is an OTC medicine automatically safe during pregnancy?
No. Pregnancy and breastfeeding restrictions differ by ingredient and product. Ask a doctor or pharmacist first.
Can MedicTranslate recommend the closest Japanese medicine?
No. We translate and organise your medicine information so a pharmacist can match it, but product selection and clinical advice come from a pharmacist, doctor or other qualified professional.
Can I take medicine bought in Japan back to my country?
Not necessarily. Your home country may restrict ingredients or quantities that are legal in Japan. Check its import rules before you travel.
This article provides general information reviewed on 28 September 2026. It does not confirm that two medicines are therapeutically equivalent or suitable for any individual. Formulas, classes and availability change, so read the current Japanese package insert and consult a pharmacist or doctor, particularly for children, pregnancy, breastfeeding, chronic illness, allergies or other medicines. MedicTranslate does not give medical advice. Call 119 for a serious or life-threatening emergency in Japan.
- Japan Self-Medication Database Center: Find OTC Medicines (English)
- PMDA: Regulation of OTC drugs in Japan, including OTC classes (2014 presentation)
- PMDA: learning videos, "Regulation and Review Process of OTC Drugs in Japan" (updated May 2026)
- PMDA: English-translated package inserts
- MHLW/PMDA: Safety Information No. 418, OTC drug misuse (April 2025)
- PMDA: example OTC ibuprofen package insert (not for children under 15)
- JNTO: bringing medication into Japan
- Narcotics Control Department: stimulant raw materials (English)