Travel to Japan With Medication: What's Allowed, What Needs a Permit

Short answer: can you bring your medication to Japan?

Three outcomes cover almost every case. Medicine within the personal-use limits can usually come in without paperwork. Medicine above those limits needs an advance permit or import confirmation. Stimulants and cannabis products cannot be imported at all. Reported limits are 1 month of prescription drugs and 2 months of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Figures were last cross-checked in October 2026 against published summaries of the Japanese rules, so verify them on the official pages before you pack.

Step 1: Check whether your medicine is restricted or banned

Start with drug class, because the highest-risk items need action first. Amphetamine, including Adderall, is reported as impossible to import for any purpose, even with a foreign prescription. Cannabis, THC and CBD products are reported as not allowed, even with a prescription. Ask your doctor about alternatives well before departure. Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) is reported to need advance permission, so do not assume it falls under a looser rule. Codeine and pseudoephedrine depend on concentration. Codeine above 1% is treated as a narcotic, while 1% or less follows general medicine limits. Pseudoephedrine at 10% or less is reported to follow normal limits. Sources conflict on what happens above 10%: one calls it banned and another says it needs advance permission. Treat anything above 10% as off-limits until the authority tells you otherwise. The official narcotics application guidance is the place to confirm the current position.

• Stimulants such as Adderall: reported as not importable.
• Cannabis, THC and CBD: reported as not allowed, even with a prescription.
• Codeine above 1%: narcotic, permit required.
• Pseudoephedrine above 10%: check with the authority before flying.

Step 2: Check the quantity limits

If your medicine is not restricted, count your supply. Reported personal-use limits without paperwork are listed below. Psychotropic medicines have per-drug totals instead. Reported examples are zolpidem at 300 mg, diazepam at 1.2 g and methylphenidate at 2.16 g. Above the psychotropic total, a doctor's certificate is reported to be required. Trip length matters here. A 10-day Japan itinerary rarely pushes you past a month of supply. A longer route can.

Step 3: Get the right paperwork if you exceed the limits

Two routes exist, and they cover different medicines. General medicines above the limits use the online import confirmation, the Yunyu Kakunin-sho. Narcotics need a separate permit from the Narcotics Control Office covering your arrival airport. That permit is reported to require application at least 14 days before travel. Add buffer time for the online confirmation, and check its processing time with MHLW rather than guessing. Never fly with a required permit still pending. If you are unsure which route applies, ask the authority before you fly. The regional Health Bureau handles questions about general medicines.

Common medicines at a glance

This table covers only medicines named in published summaries of the rules. Each answer is a reported position, so confirm it on the official page. Melatonin and ibuprofen are not covered by the sources checked, so treat them under the general limits and ask the authority if unsure.

How to pack and carry medication

Pack medicine in your carry-on so a lost bag does not strand you. Keep it in original labeled containers. Labels should show your name, the generic and brand names, and the dose. General guidance from the CDC advice on traveling with medicine says the same. Carry copies of your prescriptions with generic names, and leave another copy with someone at home. Ask your doctor for an English letter if you use controlled or injectable medicines. Refrigerated items like insulin need a plan for cold storage, and extreme heat can reduce effectiveness. Bring extra supply in case of delays, and ask your provider how to handle dosing across time zones. Check the rules of any layover country too.

• Carry-on, never checked bags.
• Original pharmacy containers with full labels.
• Prescription copies stored separately.
• English doctor's letter for controlled or injectable medicines.
• Extra days of supply for delays.

Timeline: what to do and when

Work backward from departure. Start about 6 weeks out, since the CDC suggests seeing a provider 4 to 6 weeks before travel. Allow at least 14 days for any narcotics permit, and more if your case is complex.

If you can't bring your medicine, or run out

Talk to your doctor about a substitute that is legal in Japan. Pharmacy signs and packaging in Japan show 薬 (kusuri). Foreign brands often differ from Japanese products, and a foreign prescription may not be accepted at a Japanese pharmacy. Plan to see a doctor in Japan instead. Costs and coverage depend on your policy, so read our Japan Travel Insurance: What to Cover and How to Choose before you go. JNTO also publishes travel insurance information for visitors.

Special situations

Parents should apply the same rules to children's medicine and keep it in labeled original packaging. Our Japan with kids guide covers family planning more broadly. Chronic-condition travelers on a 2-week Japan itinerary or longer may plausibly carry more than a month of supply. In that case, check the paperwork route early. Medical devices that need power are a separate question, so confirm your device's voltage requirements with the maker.

Mistakes to avoid

A few errors cause most problems.

• Assuming a foreign prescription is valid in Japan.
• Mailing medicine instead of carrying it.
• Leaving medicine in checked bags.
• Trusting blog quantity claims over official pages.
• Skipping the rules for layover countries.

Official sources and who to contact

Contact the Japanese Embassy for your country, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (厚生労働省), or the regional Health Bureau for general medicines. Narcotics questions go to the Narcotics Control Department. Pair this with our Japan travel planning guide for the rest of your pre-trip checklist. Rules change, so the official source prevails over this page.