The rules in three tiers. Fine without paperwork: up to one month of prescription medicine and two months of ordinary OTC drugs. Needs the online import confirmation (Yunyu Kakunin-sho): anything beyond those amounts, plus injectables like insulin and EpiPens beyond exempt allowances — apply a month ahead. Banned outright, prescription irrelevant: amphetamine stimulants including Adderall, Vyvanse and Dexedrine, anything with THC, and high-pseudoephedrine cold medicines like some Sudafed. People get detained over this; it’s the least optional rule in Japanese travel.
Japan’s drug law doesn’t recognize foreign prescriptions as permission. That single fact explains everything below, and it catches travelers weekly, most painfully ADHD patients whose home-country medication is a stimulant Japan classifies alongside methamphetamine.
The banned list: no permit exists
Amphetamine-based stimulants are prohibited absolutely: Adderall, Vyvanse, Dexedrine and equivalents cannot enter Japan with any paperwork, any doctor’s letter, any quantity. Travelers have been arrested at customs over this. The workable path for ADHD: talk to your doctor about a temporary switch, because methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta) is legal within quantity limits, unlike the amphetamines.
Also banned: cannabis and anything containing THC (Japan’s tolerance is effectively zero, and its cannabis law reaches use, not just possession), and some cold medicines: products exceeding 10% pseudoephedrine (several US Sudafed formulations) are prohibited, a rule that has historically snagged even Vicks inhalers. CBD products are legal only if truly THC-free; given how few products can prove that, the practical advice is to leave CBD at home.
The allowed tiers and the form
No paperwork: prescription meds up to a one-month supply (carry them in original packaging with a prescription copy or doctor’s note; not legally required at these quantities, but it makes any customs conversation short) and OTC medicines up to two months.
Yunyu Kakunin-sho (the import confirmation that replaced the old Yakkan Shoumei): required for prescription supplies beyond one month, OTC beyond two, and injectables and devices beyond the exempt allowances. It’s applied for on the health ministry’s online portal, arrives as a PDF to print and show at customs, and while it often processes in days, the safe margin is applying a month before travel.
Psychotropics (many anxiety, sleep and ADHD medicines, benzodiazepines included) occupy a middle tier: legal to bring within per-substance quantity caps, roughly a month’s supply for many, with amounts beyond that needing advance permission. If your daily medication is in this class, check its specific limit rather than assuming.
The practical checklist
Original packaging, not pill organizers. A prescription copy or doctor’s letter naming the generic compound (brand names differ across countries). The Yunyu Kakunin-sho PDF printed if you needed one. Medicines in carry-on, both for inspection and because checked bags miss connections. And if a medicine you depend on turns out banned or capped, solve it before flying: Japanese doctors can prescribe local equivalents for many things, but not for the banned stimulants, and “I didn’t know” has no legal weight at Narita.
Nothing here is theoretical enforcement. Customs checks, the penalties escalate from confiscation to detention, and Japan’s system offers none of the discretion travelers are used to at other borders. Ten minutes of checking beats any amount of explaining.
FAQ
Can I bring Adderall to Japan?
No. Amphetamine-based ADHD medications (Adderall, Vyvanse, Dexedrine) are banned absolutely, with no permit or prescription exception. Methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta) is the legal alternative within quantity limits; plan the switch with your doctor before travel.
Do I need paperwork for regular prescription medication?
Not for up to a month’s supply, carried in original packaging; a prescription copy is smart but not mandated. Beyond a month, apply online for the Yunyu Kakunin-sho about a month before your trip.
Is Sudafed allowed in Japan?
Formulations over 10% pseudoephedrine are prohibited, which includes some common US versions. Check your product’s concentration or buy a Japanese equivalent on arrival; pharmacies are everywhere and pharmacists competent.
Can I bring an EpiPen or insulin to Japan?
Yes; injectables are permitted, with allowances for personal use, but beyond exempt quantities they fall under the import confirmation. Carry the prescribing documentation and apply for the form if you’re bringing more than a short trip needs.
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