Bringing Medicine to Japan: Import Confirmation & Drug Rules

Last checked: August 21, 2026. Medicine classifications, quantity rules, forms and contact details can change. Recheck the linked Japanese government pages before departure.

This guide explains an official decision process. It is not medical advice or an individualized legal decision. Do not stop, reduce, replace or otherwise change prescribed treatment because of this article. Discuss treatment continuity with your prescriber and confirm Japan's import procedure with the responsible Japanese authority.

Table of contents

Quick Answer
Start With the Active Ingredient, Not the Brand
Japan Medicine Decision Flow
When Ordinary Medicines May Not Need Import Confirmation
When Import Confirmation May Be Required
Controlled Medicines Use a Separate NCD Route
Prepare the Facts and Contact the Correct Office
Arrival and Departure Checklist
Plan B: If You Cannot Confirm the Route in Time
Frequently Asked Questions
Official Sources

Quick Answer

When bringing medicine to Japan, check the active ingredient before the quantity.

Some medicines are prohibited. Others, including certain narcotics and stimulants' raw materials, require separate advance permission from Japan's Narcotics Control Department (NCD). A medicine may be controlled in Japan even when it is prescribed legally in another country.

For ordinary personal-use medicine, Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) says an Import Confirmation is generally not required within category-specific quantities. Examples include up to one month's supply of prescription medicine and up to two months' supply of other drugs or quasi-drugs. Those are paperwork exemptions, not blanket statements that every ingredient is legal.

Before you fly, record the medicine's active ingredient and salt, strength, dosage form, total quantity, travel dates, arrival airport and whether you will leave Japan with any medicine remaining. Check the NCD controlled-substance route first. Then apply the MHLW quantity and dosage-form rule. If anything is unclear, ask the responsible authority before carrying the medicine.

A traveler records medicine details beside a passport and carry-on bag before a Japan trip

Start With the Active Ingredient, Not the Brand

Brand names are a weak starting point. The same brand may contain different ingredients in different countries, and the NCD controlled-substances list does not use brand names as its main index.

Build one record for each medicine:

generic active ingredient and salt;
brand name;
strength, such as milligrams per tablet or millilitre;
dosage form, such as tablet, liquid, patch or pre-filled injection;
prescribed daily dose;
total number of tablets, containers, patches or devices;
total amount of each controlled ingredient, where relevant;
entry and departure dates;
arrival and departure airports; and
whether any medicine will leave Japan with you.

Use the original packaging and your prescriber's documents to collect the facts. Do not rely on color, shape or a handwritten nickname for the medicine. If the generic ingredient is missing or unclear, ask the prescriber or dispensing pharmacy for it.

A traveler records medicine details from sealed blank packaging before travel

Japan Medicine Decision Flow

Use this order. Do not start by counting tablets.

Step	Question	What to do
1	Is the active ingredient or its salt on the current NCD controlled-substances list?	If yes or uncertain, use the NCD category rules before the ordinary MHLW quantity rules.
2	Is it marked prohibited for individual import/export?	Do not carry it. A foreign prescription does not override Japan's prohibition. Ask your prescriber about a lawful travel plan without changing treatment on your own.
3	Is it a narcotic or stimulant's raw material that may be carried for a specific patient's treatment?	Obtain the required advance NCD permission. If you will leave Japan with leftovers, check the export procedure too.
4	Is it a psychotropic?	Use NCD's current threshold table and dosage-form rule. A doctor certificate may be required even where advance permission is not. Also check whether the ordinary MHLW quantity route applies.
5	Is it outside the controlled-substance route?	Classify it by MHLW category, dosage form and total personal-use quantity. Apply for Import Confirmation when required.
6	Is any classification still uncertain?	Ask MHLW or NCD using ingredient-level details. Do not guess from a travel forum or a product's legal status at home.

This two-pass check is the key distinction:

Ingredient control: Is it prohibited, controlled, or subject to a special procedure?
Ordinary paperwork: If the ingredient route permits it, is Import Confirmation required for the dosage form and quantity?

A traveler prepares an online medicine import application beside intact sealed blister cards

When Ordinary Medicines May Not Need Import Confirmation

After the controlled/prohibited check, MHLW lists personal-use quantities that generally do not require an Import Confirmation application.

MHLW category	General quantity that may be exempt from Import Confirmation	Important limit
Prescription drug, poison or deadly poison	Up to one month's supply	Ingredient restrictions still apply
Injectable drug and syringe	Up to one month's supply	MHLW limits this exemption to a pre-filled syringe or self-injection kit
External-use drug that is not a poison, deadly poison or prescription drug	Up to 24 per item	Classification matters; do not apply this line to every topical product
Other drugs and quasi-drugs	Up to two months' supply	Controlled, prohibited and designated ingredients remain separate checks

“No Import Confirmation required” means only that this general MHLW document may not be needed for that quantity and category. It does not mean:

the ingredient is permitted in Japan;
a foreign prescription is sufficient for a controlled drug;
the medicine may be sold or given to another person;
an airline will accept the item in a particular bag; or
Customs or another authority has pre-approved your individual case.

Japan Customs says private import is strictly for personal use. Privately imported medicine cannot be sold or given to someone else.

When Import Confirmation May Be Required

For an ordinary medicine outside the separate controlled-substance route, you generally need to apply for Import Confirmation when the category-specific personal-use quantity exceeds MHLW's exemption or when MHLW otherwise directs you to obtain it.

MHLW provides an online Import Confirmation application portal. The live portal states that a person importing for personal use can create an account without using the business-oriented gBizID route.

Do not confuse that process with the NCD controlled-substance permission described below. They are different legal routes with different documents and offices.

Prepare the exact product facts before starting. Depending on the case, the authority may need documents showing the medicine, purpose, quantity, prescriber and itinerary. Follow the current official application instructions rather than copying an old “Yakkan Shoumei” checklist from a blog or forum.

A traveler contacts the responsible authority while checking medicine and travel documents

Controlled Medicines Use a Separate NCD Route

The NCD divides controlled substances into categories such as narcotics, psychotropics, stimulants, stimulants' raw materials, cannabis and opium. The procedure depends on the category. Some substances cannot be imported or exported by an individual traveler, even with a foreign prescription.

Narcotics and stimulants' raw materials

For prescribed narcotics and stimulants' raw materials that the NCD allows for a specific patient, obtain advance permission before entering Japan. The NCD application page lists import and, where needed, export application forms, a medical certificate and package photographs or equivalent medicine information.

The medical certificate requirements listed by NCD include the traveler's name and address, the specific reason the medicine is needed, the medicine names, doses and strengths, the prescriber's signature, and a recent issue date. Follow the live NCD page for the complete current list.

The NCD says travelers should apply at least 14 days before travel. That recommendation does not establish a processing deadline. Its current notice warns that contacting the office at the last minute does not mean an application can be handled, and Tokyo NCD may not accept last-minute applications.

For this controlled route, NCD says the traveler must carry the medicine personally. It must not be mailed or entrusted to a family member or another person. The resulting NCD document is called an IMPORT CERTIFICATE or EXPORT CERTIFICATE. That name should not be used for the ordinary MHLW Import Confirmation process.

Psychotropics

Psychotropics do not all use one simple rule. NCD publishes a substance-specific threshold table. For listed psychotropics at or below the table amount, excluding injection form, NCD says a doctor certificate and permission under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Law are not required. Above the table amount, or for injection form, a doctor's certificate is required. NCD also directs travelers carrying more than one month's supply to contact MHLW.

Do not infer the answer from “one month” alone. Check the exact ingredient, the NCD table, dosage form and the ordinary MHLW Import Confirmation route.

Two official ADHD examples

NCD's current FAQ gives a clear example of why ingredient-level checking matters:

Adderall: its amphetamine active ingredient is prohibited from individual import into Japan, even for treatment.
Vyvanse and other lisdexamfetamine brands: lisdexamfetamine is classified as a stimulant's raw material and requires advance permission.

Those examples do not determine the status of another product or formulation. Use the current controlled-substances list and ask NCD if the exact ingredient or salt remains uncertain.

Prepare the Facts and Contact the Correct Office

Send a short, complete question. Include:

full generic ingredient and salt;
brand, strength and dosage form;
total quantity and prescribed daily dose;
purpose as documented by the prescriber;
Japan arrival date, airport and flight details where requested;
departure date and airport;
whether medicine will remain when you depart; and
clear packaging or official product information in the format requested.

For ordinary drugs, quasi-drugs and medical devices, MHLW routes inquiries by place of arrival. Its current traveler page lists the Kanto-Shin'etsu bureau for arrivals including Narita and Haneda, and the Kinki bureau for arrivals including Kansai, Chubu Centrair, Fukuoka and Naha. Check the live page because office coverage and contact details can change.

For controlled substances, use the NCD office responsible for the area where you will arrive. NCD says that if the entry and departure airports are in different areas, submit the application to the office covering the entry airport and follow the export instructions for your return plan.

Do not send sensitive medical records to an address copied from an unofficial site. Start from the linked MHLW or NCD page and follow its current contact method.

Arrival and Departure Checklist

Before leaving home:

confirm the active ingredient and Japan-specific category;
keep the medicine in identifiable original packaging;
carry the original permission, certificate or supporting document required for your route;
confirm that names, ingredient, strength, quantity, dates and airports are consistent with your trip;
check the departure/export requirement if controlled medicine will leave Japan with you;
keep the responsible office's reply with your documents; and
check the airline's separate transport and security rules.

Sealed medicine pouches and blank supporting documents are organized inside carry-on luggage

At Customs, follow the official instructions for your route and present an Import Confirmation or NCD import/export certificate when required. Do not hide or relabel medicine to avoid a check.

For buying ordinary medicine after arrival, use our Japan pharmacy and drugstore guide. It is a backup for understanding Japanese pharmacies, not a promise that the same ingredient, brand or dose will be available. For the wider arrival process, see the Visit Japan Web immigration and customs guide.

Plan B: If You Cannot Confirm the Route in Time

If the responsible authority cannot confirm the medicine before departure, do not carry it on assumption and do not change treatment by yourself.

A traveler discusses medicine and a Japan travel plan with a healthcare professional

Ask the Japanese authority which fact or document is missing.
Ask the prescriber to review treatment continuity and possible lawful travel options. Do not request a substitution simply because a travel blog suggests one.
Ask the airline separately about transport rules after the Japanese import route is clear.
Check the cancellation or change terms for the affected flight, hotel or activity.
If safe treatment continuity and lawful entry cannot both be confirmed, change or postpone the affected travel arrangement.

Japan pharmacy availability is not a reliable emergency substitute for an unconfirmed medicine. A product may use another name, require a Japanese prescription, have a different approved dose, or be unavailable. Plan with the prescriber rather than assuming you can replace it after landing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need Import Confirmation for one month's supply of prescription medicine?

MHLW says up to one month's supply of a prescription drug may be exempt from Import Confirmation. That is only an exemption from the general paperwork. Check the active ingredient first because prohibited or controlled substances use different rules.

Does a prescription from my doctor make the medicine legal in Japan?

No. Japan applies its own ingredient classifications and import rules. Some prescribed medicines need advance permission, and some substances cannot be imported by an individual traveler even for treatment.

Why should I check the active ingredient instead of the brand name?

The NCD controlled-substances list does not use brand names as its main lookup key, and brand formulations can vary. Record the generic ingredient and salt, strength, dosage form and total quantity from the original package or prescriber.

Can I bring Adderall into Japan with a prescription?

No. NCD's current FAQ says Adderall's amphetamine active ingredient is a prohibited stimulant and cannot be imported into Japan even for treatment purposes.

Can I bring Vyvanse or another lisdexamfetamine medicine?

NCD says lisdexamfetamine is a stimulant's raw material that may be carried only after advance permission. Follow the current NCD application route and do not travel with it until the required permission is issued.

What is the difference between Import Confirmation and an NCD import certificate?

Import Confirmation is MHLW's general procedure for importing medicine beyond an exemption or when otherwise required. NCD permission is a separate controlled-substance route; after approval, NCD uses the terms IMPORT CERTIFICATE and EXPORT CERTIFICATE.

How early should I apply for controlled-medicine permission, and what may be required?

NCD says to apply at least 14 days before travel, without guaranteeing processing. Its current page lists application forms, a detailed medical certificate and medicine package photographs or equivalent product information. Recheck the live requirements for your category.

What should I do if Japan's authority cannot confirm my route before departure?

Do not carry the medicine on assumption or change treatment yourself. Ask which fact is missing, consult the prescriber about treatment continuity, and change or postpone the affected travel arrangement if a safe and lawful plan cannot be confirmed.