Can I bring prescription medication into Japan?

Find out how much prescription medicine visitors can usually carry, when an import confirmation is needed, and why some common medicines are restricted.

Published October 20, 2026 at 5:25 PM JST | By Tokyo Paul

Quick answer: Usually yes, in personal amounts. Under Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare guidance, travelers can generally bring up to one month's supply of prescription drugs without special paperwork. Larger amounts need an import confirmation called Yunyu Kakunin-sho, and narcotics and stimulant-based medicines can be banned or need advance permission. Check the ministry's page before travel and carry a doctor's letter.

The short answer and the one-month rule

Most visitors on regular prescriptions can bring their medicine to Japan without any paperwork. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare says poisonous and deadly poisonous substances and prescription drugs may be carried in up to one month's supply for personal use. That covers the typical traveler on a short or medium trip who packs enough pills for the stay.

The rule is about quantity and type rather than about the country you come from. Medicine that falls inside the limit passes through customs like other personal items. Medicine that falls outside the limit, or that belongs to a controlled group, follows a different process that has to be started before the flight.

Because the ministry updates its guidance, the ministry's English page on the personal import of medicines is the reference to check. The limits discussed here come from that page, and the reader should treat them as the usual rule rather than a promise for every case.

Quantity limits by type of product

The ministry lists different limits for different products. Prescription drugs, poisons and deadly poisons are allowed up to one month's supply. Other medicines and quasi-drugs, which include many over-the-counter items, can be carried up to two months' supply. External-use drugs and cosmetics have a limit of 24 per item, regardless of brand or color.

Injectable medicines and syringes follow the one-month rule, and the ministry limits them to pre-filled syringes or self-injection kits. Household medical devices such as electric massagers are limited to one set, and disposable contact lenses can be carried up to two months' supply.

These numbers matter for planning. A traveler who needs a three-month supply of a prescription drug has exceeded the simple rule and should arrange the paperwork described in the next section. A traveler packing the usual one month for a trip stays well inside it.

When you need an import confirmation (Yunyu Kakunin-sho)

Yunyu Kakunin-sho, called an import confirmation in English, is a certificate that allows you to bring more than the personal limits. The ministry says it is required for amounts above the limits, and it must be applied for and received before leaving home, then shown to the customs officer on arrival.

Some applications can be submitted online through the ministry's import confirmation system, and the ministry lists regional bureau contacts by arrival airport. Two regional bureaus handle the requests, according to the page: one for arrivals at Narita and Tokyo International Airport, and one for Kansai, Chubu, Fukuoka, Naha and similar airports.

Processing takes time, so start early and include a copy of the prescription, the dosage and the reason for the larger quantity. The ministry or the regional bureau will explain exactly which documents are needed for your case.

Medicines that are restricted or banned

The ministry is firm about narcotics and stimulant raw materials. Importing them is strictly prohibited, except for a specific patient who has obtained permission in advance from the Japanese government. The examples it names include morphine, fentanyl and lisdexamfetamine. Permission has to be arranged and received before departure.

That has practical consequences for common prescriptions. Some strong painkillers contain opioids, and some attention deficit medicines contain amphetamine-type stimulants. Whether permission is needed depends on the active ingredient, not on a brand name, so use the generic ingredient name when you check with the authority.

The ministry's Compliance and Narcotics Division is the contact listed on its page for controlled drugs and narcotics. Offices can close around national holidays, so applicants planning a trip near Golden Week or New Year should leave extra time.

Who needs extra care: ongoing treatment, families and older travelers

People on ongoing treatment, such as insulin, thyroid, heart or mental health medicines, should plan the quantity with their doctor. Most such medicines fit within the one month rule, but a long stay or a student program may need a larger supply or a Japanese prescription. Visitors staying over a month can often see a local clinic for a prescription once in Japan.

Families should remember that children's liquids and inhalers count as prescription drugs too, and each member's medicine should stay in its original container with the label showing the name. Older travelers who manage several medicines benefit from a simple list showing the generic name, strength and purpose of each one.

Travelers who use needles for diabetes or severe allergies should carry a clear note from their doctor explaining why the syringes or pens are needed. This helps at airport security as well as at customs, and the ministry's limit for injectables suggests that pre-filled pens are the easiest format.

Common mistakes

The most common mistake is assuming that a prescription label is the same as permission. A label tells officers what the medicine is, but for restricted drugs or large quantities the import confirmation or narcotics permission is what counts. Another mistake is checking only the brand name; ingredients decide how a drug is classified.

Some travelers pack the medicine in a checked bag and the paperwork at home, which leaves nothing to show at customs. Another is mailing medicine ahead. Parcels are checked under the same rules, and an international parcel of medicine without the right certificate can be held or returned.

A subtler mistake is taking a different brand of the same medicine without checking. A product sold abroad with advertising about enhancing brain function, for instance, needs a doctor's prescription or instruction, except that a person may bring it for self-medication during the stay, according to the ministry. Reading the page covers these cases.

Planning tips and what to carry

Keep medicines in their original labeled containers, carry them in hand luggage, and bring a short letter from the prescribing doctor stating the patient's name, the generic drug name, the dose and the reason. A copy of the prescription also helps. These documents do not replace official permission, but they help officers understand what they are looking at.

Check the generic name of each medicine on the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare page, and contact the regional bureau listed there if the answer is not clear. Narcotics applicants should contact the ministry's Compliance and Narcotics Division well before travel, because permission cannot be granted at the airport.

This guide shares general information, not professional advice; for health concerns, talk with a doctor or local clinic. This guide shares general information; rules change, so confirm details with the official agency or provider before you act. If a trip is close and no answer has arrived, consider asking the prescribing doctor about an alternative that fits within the usual limits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do travelers need a doctor's letter to bring prescription medicine?

The ministry's quantity rules do not list a doctor's letter as mandatory for amounts within the limits. Even so, a letter with the patient name, generic drug name and dose is useful at customs and security. Applications for an import confirmation or narcotics permission usually involve supporting documents, so ask the ministry office what to include.

Can visitors bring over-the-counter medicine from home?

Often yes. The ministry allows up to two months' supply of other drugs and quasi-drugs, and 24 units per item of external-use products. Check the ingredients, because some cold and allergy products contain stimulant ingredients that can be restricted in Japan.

Is it possible to refill a prescription during a longer stay?

Residents and long-stay visitors can usually visit a clinic in Japan and ask about an equivalent medicine, though brands and approved drugs differ. Bring your records and the generic name. Some medicines available abroad are not approved in Japan, so ask the clinic early.

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