Are Gabapentin and Pregabalin (Lyrica) Legal in Japan?
Good news for travellers: gabapentin and pregabalin in Japan are ordinary prescription medicines, not controlled drugs. Many people worry because the UK classes both as controlled and the US schedules pregabalin. Japan does not, so the normal personal-use rules apply.
Quick answer
Neither gabapentin (Neurontin) nor pregabalin (Lyrica) is a narcotic, psychotropic or stimulant in Japan, so no Narcotics Control Department permit is needed. You can carry up to one month’s supply with your prescription. For more, apply online for an Import Confirmation before you fly. Check any other medicines you take as well, because some may be controlled.
Taking gabapentin or pregabalin with other medicines? Check every ingredient against Japan’s lists before you book.
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Are gabapentin and pregabalin in Japan controlled drugs?
No. Japan controls medicines through three main lists: narcotics, psychotropics and stimulants (including stimulant raw materials). Gabapentin, pregabalin and the related Japanese medicine mirogabalin do not appear in the Narcotics Control Department (NCD) psychotropics table. Their Japanese package inserts list them as prescription-only medicines (処方箋医薬品), with no narcotic or psychotropic class.
In short, the controlled-medicine procedures do not apply to gabapentin and pregabalin in Japan. We also checked the latest designation order (Cabinet Order No. 258, in force 6 September 2026). It added three synthetic substances and did not touch either medicine.
Gabapentin
Sold in Japan as Gabapen ガバペン. Prescription-only.
Pregabalin
Sold in Japan as Lyrica リリカ and many generics. Prescription-only.
Mirogabalin
Tarlige タリージェ, a related medicine developed in Japan. Prescription-only.
Why travellers worry: the UK and US rules
The concern is understandable. Rules at home can make these medicines feel like controlled drugs everywhere.
- United Kingdom: since 1 April 2019, pregabalin and gabapentin have been Class C controlled drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act and Schedule 3 under the 2001 Regulations.
- United States: the DEA placed pregabalin in Schedule V in 2005.
- Japan: neither is on the narcotic or psychotropic lists, so the controlled-medicine procedures do not apply.
However, your departure country may still have its own rules for taking a controlled medicine out, and any country you pass through applies its own rules too. Check those separately.
How much gabapentin and pregabalin you can bring to Japan
Because they are ordinary prescription medicines, gabapentin and pregabalin in Japan follow the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) personal-use limit: up to one month’s supply, judged by the dosage on your prescription.
Up to one month
Bring it in the original packs with your prescription or a doctor’s letter.
More than one month
Apply for an Import Confirmation online through MHLW’s Import Confirmation Information System, the default route since July 2025, and show it at customs.
Questions about Import Confirmation go to the Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare for your arrival port. Kanto-Shinetsu handles the Tokyo, Yokohama and Hakodate customs areas, and Kinki handles Nagoya, Osaka, Kobe, Moji, Nagasaki and Okinawa.
Four checks before travelling with gabapentin and pregabalin in Japan
- Check every ingredientGabapentin and pregabalin are fine, but many people take them alongside other pain or sleep medicines. Tramadol is not classified as a narcotic by Japan’s Narcotics Control Department. Oxycodone and morphine are controlled narcotics. Codeine-containing products require an individual classification check because the preparation and concentration can affect the applicable requirements. Zolpidem and benzodiazepines are psychotropics with quantity limits.
- Keep within one monthCount tablets or capsules against your daily dose.
- Apply for Import Confirmation if you need moreDo it before departure, not at the airport.
- Carry clear documentsOriginal packaging, plus a prescription or letter that shows the generic name, strength and daily dose.
If you also take a controlled medicine, our guide to controlled medicines in Japan explains each category and its deadlines.
Check your whole medicine list, not just one
Our written medication assessment summarises published Japanese guidance and identifies questions to raise with the relevant authority. It is not an individual clearance decision. You complete and submit any government application yourself. MedicTranslate does not submit, represent, or guarantee outcomes.
- Controlled or not, by ingredient
- Questions to raise with the relevant authority
- Translated doctor’s letter if you need it
Price confirmed before you pay · Reply within 1–3 business days · You complete and submit any government application yourself. MedicTranslate does not submit, represent, or guarantee outcomes.
Getting gabapentin and pregabalin in Japan if you run out
You can get gabapentin and pregabalin in Japan, but only on a prescription from a Japanese doctor. Approved uses differ from many countries, which can affect what a doctor prescribes:
| Medicine | Japanese brand | Approved use in Japan (PMDA label) |
|---|---|---|
| Gabapentin | Gabapen ガバペン | Add-on treatment for partial seizures in epilepsy. No pain indication. |
| Pregabalin | Lyrica リリカ | Neuropathic pain and pain linked to fibromyalgia. |
| Mirogabalin | Tarlige タリージェ | Neuropathic pain. |
In practice, someone taking gabapentin for nerve pain may be offered a different medicine in Japan. That is the doctor’s decision. Bring a translated letter explaining your condition, dose and history, so the doctor has the full picture. See our guide to continuing an overseas prescription in Japan.
Do not stop suddenly. Package inserts for these medicines warn about stopping abruptly. Plan your supply so you do not run out mid-trip, and talk to a doctor before any change.
Frequently asked questions
Is gabapentin legal in Japan?
Yes. Gabapentin is an approved prescription-only medicine in Japan and is not a narcotic, psychotropic or stimulant. You can bring up to one month's supply for personal use with your prescription.
Can I bring Lyrica (pregabalin) to Japan?
Yes. Pregabalin is not controlled in Japan, so no Narcotics Control Department permit is needed. Bring up to one month's supply with your prescription, or apply for an Import Confirmation for more.
Pregabalin is controlled in the UK. Does that matter in Japan?
Not for entering Japan. Japan applies its own lists, and pregabalin is not on them. Your departure country may have its own rules for taking it out, so check those separately.
What if I need more than one month of gabapentin or pregabalin?
Apply online for an Import Confirmation through MHLW's Import Confirmation Information System before you travel, then show it at customs when you arrive.
Can I get gabapentin or pregabalin from a doctor in Japan?
Yes, with a prescription from a Japanese doctor. Approved uses differ from some countries: in Japan gabapentin is approved for epilepsy, and pregabalin for neuropathic and fibromyalgia pain.
I also take tramadol or a sleeping pill. Is that a problem?
Tramadol is not a narcotic in Japan. Sleeping pills such as zolpidem and benzodiazepines are psychotropics with quantity limits, and opioids such as oxycodone need a narcotics permit. Check each medicine separately.
This article provides general information based on published Japanese government guidance and official UK and US sources reviewed on 19 October 2026. It is not medical or legal advice and is not an official customs or controlled-substance determination. Rules change, so confirm current requirements with MHLW, the Narcotics Control Department or the responsible Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare before travel. Do not stop or change a medicine without your doctor.
MedicTranslate provides translation, information and administrative coordination services. It does not submit applications, represent you, give medical or legal advice, advise on other countries’ requirements, or guarantee outcomes. You complete and submit any government application yourself.
- Narcotics Control Department: Psychotropics quantity table (PDF)
- Narcotics Control Department: Bringing medicines into Japan (Japanese)
- MHLW: Bringing medicines for personal use into Japan (quantity limits)
- MHLW: Import Confirmation Information System
- MHLW: Personal import of medicines (Regional Bureau contacts)
- PMDA: Gabapen (gabapentin) package insert (Japanese)
- PMDA: Lyrica (pregabalin) package insert (Japanese)
- PMDA: Tarlige (mirogabalin) package insert (Japanese)
- Tochigi Prefecture: 2026 designation order for narcotics (Japanese)
- UK Government: Pregabalin and gabapentin to be controlled as Class C drugs
- US Federal Register: Placement of pregabalin into Schedule V (2005)