Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) lists these amounts for medicine you bring for your own use. Count by the amount inside, not by the number of boxes (for example, 2 tablets 3 times a day for 2 months is 360 tablets).
| Type | Up to |
|---|---|
| Prescription drugs, and poisonous or powerful drugs | 1 month's supply |
| Other medicines (non-prescription) and quasi-drugs | 2 months' supply |
| External-use medicines such as ointments or eye drops (non-prescription) | 24 pieces of each item (standard size) |
| Disposable medical devices (for example, contact lenses) and in-vitro diagnostics | 2 months' supply |
| Home-use medical devices (for example, an electric massager) | 1 set |
| Cosmetics | 24 pieces of each item (standard size) |
- You may not sell or give it to others, or bring someone else's medicine together with yours
- A product sold as food or a supplement abroad may be treated as a medicine in Japan if it contains a medicinal ingredient or claims a medicinal effect
- Some medicines need MHLW confirmation regardless of the amount (an MHLW notice of 10 February 2025 lists, for example, isotretinoin, thalidomide, misoprostol, mifepristone and baricitinib)
MHLW's pages do not list brand names. This table checks each active ingredient against the Narcotics Control Department's list of controlled substances (December 2024 edition).
| Medicine (ingredient) | What the official sources show |
|---|---|
| Tylenol (acetaminophen), Advil (ibuprofen), Benadryl (diphenhydramine), Zyrtec (cetirizine), Xyzal (levocetirizine), Zoloft (sertraline) | Not on the list of controlled substances. The amounts above apply: 1 month's supply for prescription drugs, 2 months' for non-prescription medicines |
| Melatonin | Not on the list of controlled substances. MHLW lists melatonin as an ingredient used only as a medicine, so it is treated as a medicine in Japan even if it is sold as a supplement abroad. The amounts above apply; the official pages do not say whether the 1-month or 2-month limit applies, so for more than 1 month's supply, ask the Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare |
| Xanax (alprazolam) | ⚠️ Listed as a psychotropic. The Narcotics Control Department gives alprazolam as an example you can bring without a permit, up to the amount in its table. You must carry it yourself. For more than that, see the psychotropic rules below |
| Zepbound (tirzepatide), Ozempic (semaglutide) injections | Not on the list of controlled substances. MHLW: prefilled syringes or self-injection kits up to 1 month's supply need no Import Certificate, and syringes with the medicine are also fine within that amount. Syringes brought on their own need an Import Certificate |
| Sudafed and other medicines with pseudoephedrine | ⚠️ Pseudoephedrine is a stimulant raw material in Japan. Products with 10% or less are excluded, and the official pages do not say which brands are over 10%. Check with the Narcotics Control Department — see “Medicines with narcotics or stimulant ingredients” below |
| Nicotine pouches (for example, Zyn) | MHLW lists nicotine as an ingredient used only as a medicine, and treats nicotine e-cigarette liquids as unapproved medicines. Whether nicotine pouches are treated the same way is not stated. Ask the Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare before you travel |
Not being on the controlled substances list does not by itself mean a medicine needs no procedure: amounts over the limits above, and medicines on MHLW's “confirmation needed regardless of amount” list, still need the Import Certificate.
- If you bring more than the amounts above, you need a Yunyu Kakunin-sho (Import Certificate). MHLW's English page says to get it before you leave home and show it at customs
- Apply to the Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare that covers the customs office where you arrive: Hakodate, Tokyo and Yokohama customs → Kanto-Shinetsu; Nagoya, Osaka, Kobe, Moji, Nagasaki and Okinawa customs → Kinki
- You can apply online: Application for Import Confirmation (MHLW)
- Medicines that contain narcotics or stimulant raw materials can only be brought in by the patient they were prescribed for, and only with prior permission from a Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare (no fee)
- Apply to the Narcotics Control Department at least 2 weeks before you arrive, with the application form, a doctor's certificate (in Japanese or English, issued within 3 months) and information on the medicine. Carry the permit with the medicine and show it at customs. You must carry it yourself (not by post or by another person). This permit is a separate document from the Yunyu Kakunin-sho above, although both may be called an “import certificate” in English
- The Narcotics Control Department gives examples: Adderall cannot be brought in (its ingredient amphetamine is a stimulant in Japan); Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine) can be brought in with prior permission. It lists pseudoephedrine as an example of a stimulant raw material and codeine as an example of a narcotic — some cold and allergy medicines contain these, so check the ingredients and the department's guidance before you travel (its list of controlled substances excludes products with 10% or less pseudoephedrine and 1% or less codeine)
- Stimulants (methamphetamine, amphetamine), heroin and opium powder cannot be brought in, even for medical treatment. Cannabis plant material (whole plant, flowers, leaves) is also prohibited. Cannabis-derived medicines are controlled as narcotics — ask the Narcotics Control Department
- Psychotropic medicines: below a certain amount, no procedure is needed. For injections or larger amounts, carry a document from your doctor showing you need it (for example, a copy of the prescription). For more than 1 month's supply or injections, you also need the Import Certificate
- MHLW: Information for those who are bringing medicines for personal use into Japan
- Kinki Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare: Procedures of Bringing Medicines into Japan
- Narcotics Control Department: Application Guidance
- Narcotics Control Department: Controlled Substances List (12 December 2024)
- MHLW: Q&A for those who are importing medicines into Japan
- MHLW notice of 5 August 2026: list of ingredients used only as medicines (Japanese)
- MHLW notice of 18 August 2010 on e-cigarettes containing nicotine (Japanese)
- MHLW: Personal import of medicines (Japanese)
- Kanto-Shinetsu Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare (Japanese)
- Narcotics Control Department (Japanese)
Checked on 7 October 2026. Rules can change, and this page is not a substitute for the official guidance. If you are unsure about a specific medicine, ask the Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare before you travel.