Japan's Banned Medicines List: What Every Traveller Needs to Know Before They Fly

Japan confiscates medications at the border that are legal everywhere else. Here is what is banned, what needs a certificate, and how to get one.

Japan's medication rules: stricter than you expect

Japan stops medications at customs that are legal prescriptions in most other countries. Amphetamine-based stimulants are banned outright, while narcotics, some decongestants and larger quantities of psychotropics need advance permission or extra paperwork before you board^[1].

This article covers which drugs are banned with no exceptions, which need advance permission from the Narcotics Control Department, when you need a Yunyu Kakunin-sho import confirmation, and how to apply.

Medical disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Regulations change; always verify current rules with Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) and consult your prescribing clinician before travelling.

Outright bans, and the drugs that need advance permission

Amphetamine, including dexamfetamine, is prohibited under the Stimulants Control Act, and individual travellers cannot import it even with a prescription^[2]. Adderall cannot enter Japan. Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse, Elvanse) is different: it is a stimulant raw material, and you can bring it only with advance permission from the Narcotics Control Department^[2].

Pseudoephedrine also needs care. Products containing more than 10% pseudoephedrine are stimulant raw materials in Japan^[5] and need advance permission to import. This catches travellers off guard because decongestants such as original-formula Sudafed are sold over the counter in Australia, Canada and many European countries. The simplest option is to leave them at home and buy a Japanese cold remedy locally.

Codeine is a narcotic in Japan. Medicines containing more than 1% codeine are controlled^[5], which includes most codeine tablets, and they need an advance narcotics import permit whatever the quantity. Products with 1% codeine or less, such as many cough syrups, are excluded.

What the Yunyu Kakunin-sho actually is

The Yunyu Kakunin-sho (輸入確認証) is an import confirmation issued by a Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare. You need it to bring in more than one month's supply of an ordinary prescription medicine^[1]. Psychotropics need no NCD permission, and more than one month's supply of one also needs a Yunyu Kakunin-sho. Narcotics and stimulant raw materials need a separate permit from the Narcotics Control Department^[2].

Without the right document, customs officers can seize the medication. The paperwork is not a formality; it is the difference between your medication arriving in Japan with you or being confiscated at Narita.

Narcotics such as morphine, oxycodone and codeine tablets need an advance import permit whatever the quantity, applied for at least 14 days before travel^[2]. Psychotropics such as methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta) and modafinil can be carried without permission up to set amounts: 2.16 g of methylphenidate and 6 g of modafinil^[3]. Above that, carry a doctor's certificate giving your name, diagnosis, why you need the medicine, and the dose.

The one-month rule: what it covers and what it misses

Japan permits a personal supply of up to one month^[1] for most prescription medications without any import certificate. For non-prescription medications, the limit is two months.

The trap is the word "most". Psychotropics have their own limits, set by the total weight of active ingredient^[3] rather than by days of supply. Narcotics and stimulant raw materials need advance permission whatever the quantity.

If your methylphenidate supply is above 2.16 g, bring a doctor's certificate. If it is also more than one month's supply, contact MHLW at yakkan@mhlw.go.jp before you travel^[2].

How to apply for the Yunyu Kakunin-sho: step by step

Apply to the right office. Applications go to the Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare for your port of entry: Kanto-Shin'etsu covers Narita and Haneda, and Kinki covers Kansai, Chubu Centrair, Fukuoka and Naha^[1]. Some applications can now be made online through MHLW's system.

Gather supporting documents. You will need your original prescription or a letter from your prescribing clinician on headed notepaper, stating the medication name, dose, and the clinical reason for the prescription.

Apply well ahead. You must receive the confirmation before you leave home, and the US Embassy in Tokyo warns approval may take several weeks^[4]. Narcotics and stimulant raw material permits must be applied for at least 14 days before travel^[2].

Keep the document with your medication in your carry-on, and show it with your prescription to the customs officer^[4] on arrival. Keep your medication in its original labelled packaging.

Declare at customs. Do not use the green "nothing to declare" lane if you are carrying any scheduled substance, certificated or otherwise. Use the red lane and present all documents proactively.

Medications that often surprise travellers

The US Embassy in Tokyo warns that many common US medicines are illegal in Japan and does not keep a full list^[4]. The most common surprises are pseudoephedrine decongestants, Adderall, and US Vicks inhalers, which contain levmetamfetamine, a form of methamphetamine.

Diazepam and other benzodiazepines are not banned, but they are psychotropics under Japan's Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act. Up to 1.2 g of diazepam^[3] can be carried without paperwork; above that, carry a doctor's certificate. Our guide for travelling to Japan with anxiety disorder covers import rules for your reference.

Melatonin catches many travellers out. It is not a controlled substance, but Japan treats it as a medicine rather than a supplement, so gummies and sleep aids from home count as medicines at the border. See our guide to melatonin in Japan.

Insulin, standard antidepressants such as sertraline and escitalopram, and most cardiovascular medicines are not controlled, so the general rule applies: up to one month's supply without paperwork, including pre-filled syringes and self-injection kits, and a Yunyu Kakunin-sho above that^[1]. Carry your prescription.

ADHD medication in Japan: the practical reality

If you take Adderall, there is no workaround: amphetamine cannot be imported, even for treatment. Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) can be brought in only with advance permission from the Narcotics Control Department, applied for at least 14 days before travel. Speak to your prescriber early. Our ADHD in Japan travel guide covers the options in detail.

Methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta) is a psychotropic under Japan's Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act. Up to 2.16 g can enter without paperwork^[3]; above that, carry a doctor's certificate.

In Japan, methylphenidate for ADHD can be prescribed only by doctors registered under a controlled distribution system, and Ritalin itself is approved only for narcolepsy. That limits in-country access significantly if you run out.

What happens if you get it wrong at the border

Customs officers at Narita, Haneda, Kansai, and Chubu airports have authority to seize prohibited or uncertificated medications. For banned substances such as amphetamines, seizure is routine and prosecution is possible.

For permitted medicines brought in without the right paperwork, officers may seize the excess or the whole supply. The safest assumption is that all of it will be seized.

Smuggling offences under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act and the Stimulants Control Act carry prison sentences, and stimulant offences are punished especially severely.

Carry-on versus checked luggage

Always carry scheduled medications and their documentation in your carry-on luggage. Checked baggage is not accessible if customs needs to inspect^[6] your documents, and delayed or lost baggage means your medication disappears with it.

Liquid medicines, including insulin, are generally exempt from cabin liquid limits when declared at security. Confirm the rules with the security agency at your departure airport.

Get your medical records in order before you fly

Japanese emergency departments will ask for your medication list if you present unwell. A structured summary that includes your drug names in both INN (generic) and brand format helps significantly, particularly because some brand names are not recognised in Japan. If you take any cold-chain medications such as insulin or biologics, include storage requirements in your summary.

Nomedic generates an International Patient Summary (IPS) that formats your medications, conditions, and allergies to the HL7 FHIR standard. Having your IPS stored digitally and printed reduces friction if you need care urgently.

Frequently asked questions

Can I bring Adderall to Japan with a valid prescription?

No. Adderall contains amphetamine salts, which are prohibited under Japan's Stimulants Control Act regardless of prescription status or country of origin. There is no import certificate or exemption process for amphetamines. If you take Adderall, speak to your prescriber about a non-stimulant alternative before you fly.

Is pseudoephedrine in cold medicine allowed in Japan?

Products containing more than 10% pseudoephedrine are stimulant raw materials in Japan and can be brought in only with advance permission from the Narcotics Control Department. This can include brand-name decongestants such as original-formula Sudafed. The simplest option is to leave them at home and buy a Japanese cold remedy locally.

Can I bring more than a one-month supply of methylphenidate to Japan?

Up to 2.16 g of methylphenidate can be carried without paperwork. Above that, carry a doctor's certificate giving your name, diagnosis, why you need the medicine, and the dose. If you also need more than one month's supply, contact MHLW at yakkan@mhlw.go.jp before you travel.

Do I need the Yunyu Kakunin-sho for diazepam or other benzodiazepines?

Benzodiazepines are psychotropics, which have their own limits by weight. For diazepam the limit is 1.2 g; above it, carry a doctor's certificate rather than a Yunyu Kakunin-sho. Carry your original prescription alongside the medication regardless of trip length.

How long does it take to get the Yunyu Kakunin-sho?

You must receive the Yunyu Kakunin-sho before you leave home, and the US Embassy in Tokyo warns that approval may take several weeks. Applications go to the Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare for your port of entry. Apply as early as you can.

Where do I submit the Yunyu Kakunin-sho application?

Applications go to the Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare that covers your intended port of entry into Japan. For Narita or Haneda airports, this is the Kanto-Shin'etsu Regional Bureau. The MHLW website (mhlw.go.jp) lists contact details and downloadable application forms for each bureau.