Is Vyvanse Legal in Japan? Lisdexamfetamine Permission Rules for Travellers

Is Vyvanse legal in Japan? Why lisdexamfetamine needs permission

Vyvanse (called Elvanse in some countries) contains lisdexamfetamine. The Narcotics Control Department lists lisdexamfetamine as a stimulants' raw material 覚醒剤原料, and its English guidance says you can import it into Japan "by getting an advanced permission" (NCD guidance). The Japanese package insert gives the same status (PMDA package insert).

The rule follows the active ingredient, not the brand. Therefore, a generic lisdexamfetamine product is treated the same way as Vyvanse, and the border rules differ from those for methylphenidate (Concerta) and amphetamine (Adderall).

Three rules for bringing Vyvanse to Japan

Sources: the NCD English guidance for the 14-day timing and the carry requirement, and the NCD Japanese page and NCD guide for stimulants' raw materials (PDF) for the applicant rule.

How to apply for permission to carry Vyvanse into Japan, step by step

1. Confirm the ingredient. Check that your label says lisdexamfetamine (or Vyvanse/Elvanse).
2. Ask your doctor for a certificate. The NCD English page asks for your name, current address, the specific reason you take the medicine (not a generic description), the medicine list with doses and strength, the doctor's signature, and an issue date within 3 months. The Japanese guidance accepts a certificate in Japanese or English.
3. Download the form. Use the stimulants' raw materials form, import or export, from the NCD English page (Japanese: NCD Japanese page). The narcotics form is a different form and is not the one you need.
4. Prepare the other documents. Take photos of the medicine packaging (JPEG, PDF or Word, per the NCD English page). The Japanese guidance also asks for a return envelope with postage.
5. Send everything to the right office. The NCD says to submit to the regional Narcotics Control Department that covers your airport of arrival in Japan (office list (PDF), Japanese office list). The English page lists e-mail, fax or mail; the Japanese page describes post or delivery by hand. For example, Kansai International Airport and Kobe Port fall under the Kinki office (Osaka), and Narita and Haneda under Kanto-Shinetsu (Tokyo).
6. Apply at least 14 days ahead. The NCD asks for this timing, and postal round trips take time (Kinki Bureau guidance). If time is short, the NCD Japanese page says to telephone the regional office, though that does not guarantee approval.
7. Receive the permit. The NCD issues a Japanese permit and an English certificate, and the Japanese page says there is no fee for issuing the permit.
8. Travel with the permit and the medicine. Show the permit and the English certificate to the customs officer, with the medicine in your own luggage.

How much Vyvanse can I bring? Quantity and one-month rules

The one-month and table-amount rules described by the NCD apply to psychotropics, such as methylphenidate, not to stimulants' raw materials. For lisdexamfetamine, the NCD guidance reviewed sets no table amount. Instead, you declare the quantity in the application, and the NCD guide says that a wording such as "up to N capsules" is acceptable if the exact amount is uncertain (NCD guide (PDF)).

Match the quantity you declare to your prescription and your travel dates, and check the quantity shown on the permit before you travel.

Is Vyvanse approved and sold in Japan?

Yes, with restrictions. Takeda markets Vyvanse (ビバンセ) as 20 mg and 30 mg capsules (PMDA product list). The current package insert (PMDA) lists ADHD in childhood as the indication, notes that safety and efficacy are not established in patients aged 18 or older, and gives specific cautions for people who began treatment before age 18. In addition, it can be given only at facilities with a registered doctor, to registered patients, in supplies of up to 30 days per prescription.

Takeda's June 2026 announcement says one approval condition was lifted, but the registration of doctors, institutions, pharmacies and patients remains (Takeda release, Japanese). As a result, many people who take Vyvanse abroad cannot assume that a clinic in Japan will simply continue it. That is a question for a doctor in Japan, not something that a border permit decides.

Vyvanse vs Concerta vs Adderall: three different border rules

See our separate guide: Is Concerta legal in Japan? For the wider picture, read our overview of controlled medicines in Japan. The NCD page lists the three examples directly (NCD guidance).

Can I bring Vyvanse to Japan without permission?

No. The NCD says you need permission before you enter or leave Japan with a stimulants' raw material, and that you must carry the medicine yourself (NCD guidance). Sending it by post or courier is not allowed either (MHLW Q&A for medicine importers (PDF)).

The official pages we reviewed do not set out the penalties for carrying a stimulants' raw material without permission, so we do not quote them. The practical point is that carrying it outside the permission route is outside what the NCD allows, and you should not try it. If you are in doubt, contact the NCD office for your arrival airport, whose contact details are on the NCD office list.

What to do if Vyvanse can't come into Japan

Sometimes the timing does not work, the certificate is not ready, or permission is not granted. In that case, the decision about your treatment belongs to your prescriber. These are the usual routes to discuss with them:

• Apply as early as possible and call the NCD. If you are inside the two-week window, telephone the regional NCD office. The NCD Japanese page says to do this, but it cannot promise a result, and the Tokyo office takes no last-minute cases.
• Talk to your prescriber now. Ask what they advise for the days you will be in Japan. Do not stop, change or skip a dose because of the paperwork.
• Ask about a Japanese clinic. A doctor in Japan decides what to prescribe, and Vyvanse is available only through the registration system. Bring an English letter with your diagnosis, the ingredient, the dose and how long you have taken it.
• Check a different ingredient only with your doctor. Methylphenidate follows lighter border rules (see our Concerta guide), but switching medicine is a clinical choice, not a paperwork shortcut. Adderall is not an option, because amphetamine cannot be imported.
• Do not post it or ask someone else to carry it. Neither is permitted.

If you need an English-speaking clinician, see our guide to finding an English-speaking doctor or clinic in Japan, or book an interpreter for the appointment.