How to Bring Medication to Japan: 2026 Complete Guide

What medicine can I bring to Japan? Four checks

Before you bring medication to Japan, whether for a short holiday or a move, work through these checks in order. Each one can change what you need to do, so do not skip ahead.

1. Identify the active ingredientJapan regulates ingredients, not brand names. For example, look for the generic name on the label, for example sertraline rather than Zoloft.
2. Check whether the ingredient is controlledNarcotics, psychotropics, stimulants and stimulants’ raw materials have their own rules. As a result, quantity alone does not settle them.
3. Count your supplyWork out how many days or months you will carry, based on the dose on your prescription or label.
4. Pick the routeNo paperwork, Import Confirmation, a doctor’s certificate, advance narcotics permission, or not allowed. The table below shows which.

Personal-use limits: how much you can bring without paperwork

If you bring medication to Japan that is otherwise permitted there, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) lets you carry these quantities for your own use without Import Confirmation.

Import Confirmation: how to bring medication to Japan above the limits

Many travel sites still tell you to fill in a “yakkan shoumei” form. However, that procedure was replaced on 1 September 2020 by the Import Confirmation (輸入確認) procedure, and MHLW now runs it through an online Import Confirmation Information System. You need it when you bring more than the personal-use quantity, or when MHLW requires confirmation for that medicine regardless of quantity.

1. Confirm Import Confirmation is the right routeIt is for otherwise permitted medicines. Therefore, it does not replace narcotics permission and cannot make a prohibited stimulant legal.
2. Gather the medicine detailsActive ingredient, strength, dosage form, total quantity and how long it will last.
3. Apply online well before departureUse MHLW’s Import Confirmation system. The Regional Bureau for your arrival airport reviews it. For example, Kanto-Shinetsu handles Narita and Haneda, and Kinki handles Kansai, Fukuoka and Naha.
4. Upload supporting documentsUsually your prescription or a doctor’s letter, plus product information if requested.
5. Carry the certificate with the medicineKeep it with you, not in checked luggage, so you can show it at customs.

The yakkan shoumei application form no longer exists as such. Instead, our full guide explains who needs Import Confirmation and what to prepare: Import Confirmation Certificate (formerly yakkan shoumei).

Narcotics, psychotropics and stimulants: the Japan narcotics import form

Japan’s Narcotics Control Department (NCD) handles controlled medicines. However, the rules differ by class, so check which class your medicine belongs to first.

Psychotropic amounts you can carry without a certificate

Selected totals from the NCD table (non-injectable forms). In other words, add up every tablet you carry, not just one pack.

Next, the narcotics permission application needs the NCD form plus a doctor’s certificate showing your name and address, your condition, each medicine with its dose and strength, and the doctor’s signature and date. If the NCD form or your doctor’s letter is not in English, a medical document translation keeps the details consistent. See controlled medicines in Japan for the full breakdown.

Over-the-counter medicines to double-check

Most everyday painkillers, antihistamines and stomach remedies are fine within two months’ supply. However, the ones that catch travellers out are usually combination cold and allergy products, because some ingredients are controlled in Japan.

• Decongestants with pseudoephedrine (some Sudafed and “D” allergy products): high-strength products are treated as stimulants’ raw materials.
• Cough or cold products with codeine: codeine is a narcotic, so check the strength before packing.
• Sleep aids and antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl): usually allowed, but check the combination ingredients.

So before you pack, compare the label with our guides to cold and flu medicine in Japan, Benadryl and Zyrtec, Claritin and Allegra.

Packing and documents to bring medication to Japan

Good preparation makes it easier to bring medication to Japan. It also makes customs quicker and helps a Japanese doctor or pharmacist if you need help during your stay.

• Keep medicines in their original, labelled packaging.
• Carry your prescription or a doctor’s letter in English, listing the generic name, strength and dose.
• Bring only what you need for your stay, within the limits above.
• Pack medicines and documents in your carry-on bag.
• Bring any Import Confirmation certificate or NCD permission with you.
• For injectables, bring the device and any needles you need, and plan for cold storage.

Arriving at the airport in Japan with medication

If your medicines are within the personal-use limits and not controlled, you normally just carry them through with your documents. On the other hand, if you hold Import Confirmation or NCD permission, keep the certificate ready to show customs with the medicine it covers.

Guides by medicine

Looking for a specific medicine? These guides apply the rules above to common products.

Checking a long list? The banned and restricted medications in Japan page covers the most common controlled ingredients.

Running out or losing medicine in Japan

If you run short, you generally need to see a doctor in Japan for a new prescription. For this reason, bring your English prescription or doctor’s letter to the appointment so the doctor can identify the Japanese equivalent.

• What to do about lost or expired medication in Japan
• How to find an English-speaking doctor or clinic
• Finding the Japanese OTC equivalent of your medicine
• Okusuri techo: Japan’s medicine notebook