Yunyu Kakunin-sho (Import Confirmation) and the Narcotics Control Department Application: Step by Step

Yakkan Shoumei is the old name for the Yunyu Kakunin-sho

From 1 September 2020, the former Yakkan Shoumei (薬監証明) procedure was replaced by the Import Confirmation Certificate (輸入確認証, Yunyu Kakunin-sho). Many travel sites still use the old term, so treat any “Yakkan Shoumei” guidance as referring to Import Confirmation.

From 1 July 2025, online application through MHLW’s Import Confirmation Information System became the general rule for personal-use applications. For more detail on the certificate itself, see our guide to the Import Confirmation Certificate.

Yunyu Kakunin-sho or NCD permission: which process applies?

The deciding factor is the active ingredient, not the brand name. First, check each ingredient’s Japanese legal category; then check the quantity and dosage form.

Step by step: applying for the Yunyu Kakunin-sho

1. Confirm the medicine is otherwise permittedImport Confirmation does not override a prohibition or a separate controlled-substance law.
2. Identify why Import Confirmation is neededQuantity above the allowance, a psychotropic injection, or another MHLW trigger. Name it accurately.
3. Apply through MHLW’s online systemThe Import Confirmation Information System is the general route for personal-use applications.
4. Enter each product accuratelyUse the active ingredient, strength, dosage form and total quantity, not the brand name alone.
5. Upload the supporting evidence requestedThis may include a prescription, doctor’s letter, product information and travel details.
6. Keep the issued certificate with the medicineHave it available for customs inspection when you arrive.

Step by step: the Narcotics Control Department application

1. Confirm the controlled categoryNarcotic and stimulant-raw-material lists are ingredient-based. Narcotics and stimulant raw materials use separate application forms.
2. Find the responsible NCD officeFor entry, apply to the Narcotics Control Department office covering the area where you arrive in Japan.
3. Obtain the prescriber’s medical certificateIt must show your name and address, the specific medical reason, each medicine with dose and strength, the doctor’s signature, and an issue date within the last three months.
4. Attach photos of the medicine packagingSend them as JPEG, PDF or Word files. NCD does not accept HEIC images.
5. Apply at least 14 days before travelNCD warns that the Tokyo office in particular cannot accept last-minute applications.
6. Carry the medicine yourselfThe permission holder must carry it in person. It cannot be mailed or entrusted to someone else.

If your doctor’s certificate is not in English or Japanese, a medical document translation keeps ingredient names, doses and quantities consistent across the application.

Common mistakes

• Treating “Yakkan Shoumei” as a current, separate permit.
• Applying for a Yunyu Kakunin-sho when the ingredient is actually a narcotic or stimulant raw material.
• Classifying methylphenidate as a stimulant raw material. NCD lists it as a psychotropic.
• Overlooking pseudoephedrine in cold and allergy products. NCD lists it among stimulant raw materials, and Tokyo’s list treats preparations above 10% as such.
• Assuming every injectable needs Import Confirmation despite the one-month pre-filled syringe and self-injection kit allowance.
• Leaving an NCD application to the final week before departure.