Bringing Medicine to Japan: What’s Allowed, What’s Not (MHLW Rules)
Pseudoephedrine cold meds and ADHD stimulants like Adderall/Vyvanse are high-risk. Personal-use limits, Yunyu Kakunin-sho, MHLW contacts, and Japanese pharmacies.
Key Takeaways
- •Leave Sudafed-type pseudoephedrine cold meds at home — treated as stimulant raw materials; buy Japanese pharmacy equivalents
- •Amphetamine-type ADHD meds (Adderall, Vyvanse/lisdexamfetamine, etc.) are prohibited or tightly controlled even with a foreign Rx
- •Common personal-use limits without Import Confirmation: ~1 month prescription, ~2 months other OTC/quasi drugs — verify MHLW for your exact product
- •Apply online via ImpConf when needed; Narita/Haneda questions: yakkan@mhlw.go.jp
Do not pack Sudafed-style cold pills or ADHD stimulants “just in case.” Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) restricts many common Western meds. Verify your exact drug on official pages before you fly — this guide is orientation, not a customs ruling.
Official starting points:
- Bringing medicines for personal use into Japan (MHLW)
- Import Confirmation (Yunyu Kakunin-sho) — ImpConf
Also check your nearest Embassy of Japan page and, for U.S. travelers, embassy/consulate medication notices before departure.
Personal-Use Amounts (Commonly Cited)
Per MHLW’s English personal-use page (confirm before travel — rules can change):
| Category | Often allowed without Import Confirmation |
|---|---|
| Prescription drugs (non-prohibited) | Up to 1 month supply |
| Other drugs / quasi drugs | Up to 2 months supply |
| External-use items (with exceptions) | Up to 24 per item |
| Injectables / syringes | Up to 1 month — only certain pre-filled / self-injection kits |
Need more than that? Apply for Import Confirmation (Yunyu Kakunin-sho) via ImpConf before you leave home, then show it at customs.
Prohibited and controlled substances stay prohibited regardless of quantity or a foreign prescription.
Well-Documented Problem Cases
| Situation | Practical advice |
|---|---|
| Pseudoephedrine cold/allergy meds (e.g. many Sudafed formulas) | Often treated as stimulant raw materials — leave at home |
| Adderall / amphetamine products | Illegal to bring/use in typical tourist cases |
| Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine) and similar | Listed among stimulants’ raw materials — special government permission frameworks exist for some prescribed narcotics/stimulant materials; many travelers cannot bring them at all. Check MHLW narcotics guidance before assuming your Rx helps |
| Unlisted OTC brands | Read ingredients. Brand names differ; the active ingredient matters |
Do not invent a full banned list from blogs. If your drug is not clearly allowed, email MHLW or ask the Japanese embassy with the generic name and strength.
Who to Contact
From the MHLW personal-import page:
- Narita / Haneda (and related Kanto arrivals):
yakkan@mhlw.go.jp(Kanto-Shin’etsu Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare) - Kansai / Centrair / Fukuoka / Naha, etc.:
kiyakuji@mhlw.go.jp(Kinki Regional Bureau) - Narcotics / stimulants’ raw materials: follow the separate MHLW narcotics procedures linked from the same page (not the same as a casual OTC bag)
Japanese embassies and consulates in your home country also publish traveler medication FAQs — use them for contacts and checklists, then confirm against MHLW.
Buy Cold Meds in Japan Instead
Japanese ドラッグストア (Matsumoto Kiyoshi, Welcia, Sundrug, etc.) sell cold, fever, and allergy products widely. Point to your throat/nose or show a translation: 「かぜ薬ください」 (cold medicine, please). Typical OTC cold packs run roughly ¥800–¥2,000.
Keep chronic meds you are allowed to bring in original packaging with a copy of the prescription/doctor’s letter (generic names in English/Latin help pharmacists and customs).
For broader clinic context once you are here, see Japan healthcare.
FAQ
Can I bring Sudafed?
Many pseudoephedrine products are a hard no. Leave them home and buy a Japanese cold medicine after arrival.
Can I bring Adderall or Vyvanse with my U.S. prescription?
Assume no until MHLW/narcotics procedures explicitly clear your exact drug. A foreign Rx alone is not a free pass.
What is Yunyu Kakunin-sho?
Import Confirmation — advance permission for personal imports above the small personal-use thresholds (or as otherwise required). Apply via ImpConf before travel.
How much OTC can I pack?
MHLW commonly cites up to about 2 months of other drugs/quasi drugs without Import Confirmation — verify for your items.
Who do I email for Narita or Haneda questions?
yakkan@mhlw.go.jp per MHLW’s English contact list.
Where is the official rule page?
MHLW personal-use medicines and ImpConf English about page.
Need Help with This?
Have questions about Bringing Medicine to Japan: What’s Allowed, What’s Not (MHLW Rules)? We're here to help. Send us a message and we'll get back to you within 24-48 hours.
Alex Rivera
Travel & Living Editor
Expat guide. Helps people actually move to and navigate Japan.
Moved from London to Tokyo in 2018. Went through the full gaijin experience—visa, housing, banking, the works. Now writes the guide he wished he had.
Tokyo
Expertise
Moving to Tokyo, expat life, travel, Kyoto vs Tokyo, onsen
The Standard Newsletter
Tokyo in your inbox. Weekly.
No algorithms curating your culture. No sponsored content disguised as journalism. Just the real Tokyo — the izakayas at 2am, the Harajuku kids who never made it to the algorithm, the ramen shop with no sign.
8K+
Subscribers
Weekly
Editions
Free
Always
Join the underground.
One email a week. Unsubscribe anytime.
No spam. No sharing your data. Tokyo only.
Related Stories
Halal Japan Guide 2026: Food, Prayer Rooms, and Muslim-Friendly Travel
Halal and Muslim-friendly Japan: no single national certification, Tokyo Camii, airport prayer rooms, mirin/sake traps, Halal Gourmet Japan, and how to eat without guessing.
How to Buy Shinkansen Tickets in Japan (2026)
How to buy Shinkansen tickets: station machines, Midori-no-Madoguchi counters, SmartEX and JR East online, reserved vs unreserved, and JR Pass limits.
Earthquakes & Typhoons in Japan: What Tourists Should Do
Drop, cover, hold in a quake; stay indoors in a typhoon. Hotel exits, JMA alerts, NHK World, Safety tips app, and the 171 disaster message board — tourist checklist.