Bringing Medicine Into Japan and Buying Medicine in Japan

Two questions come up on almost every medical trip we coordinate: can I bring the medicines I already take, and how do I get the medicines the Japanese facility prescribes. Both have clear answers, and both have a boundary we should state first. Import rules are a customs and health-ministry matter, and we can only point you to them and remind you to check. What to take is a medical matter between you and your doctors. What follows is the practical side.

Part 1: bringing your own medicines

The general allowance

Japan lets travellers bring prescription medicines for personal use without paperwork up to a limit, commonly described as about a one-month supply for prescription drugs, with different limits for over-the-counter products and for certain forms such as injectables. Keep medicines in their original packaging, with the prescription or a doctor's letter that shows the generic name, the dose and that it is for you.

When Yakkan Shoumei applies

Above the personal allowance, or for certain categories regardless of quantity, Japan requires an import certificate applied for in advance. It is called Yakkan Shoumei, and since recent changes the application goes through an online system run by the health ministry. You submit details of the medicine, the quantity and your travel dates, and receive a certificate to show at customs. Processing takes time; start well before you fly. We have a separate article on prescription drugs and Yakkan Shoumei with more detail.

Substances that are prohibited

Some medicines that are ordinary in other countries are controlled or prohibited in Japan, and carrying them can lead to serious trouble regardless of a foreign prescription. Stimulant medicines used for attention disorders are the most cited example; certain decongestants and some codeine products also fall under limits. The list is the health ministry's, not ours. If you take any medicine you are unsure about, check with the Japanese embassy or the ministry before travelling and, if needed, talk to your own doctor about alternatives for the trip.

Practical packing

• Carry medicines in hand luggage, not checked bags.
• One medicine list with generic names, doses and times, in English, kept with your passport.
• Enough supply for the planned stay plus a margin for a schedule change, within the allowance or with the certificate.
• Anything that needs cooling: a small insulated pouch, and tell the hotel; most rooms have a fridge.

Part 2: getting medicines prescribed in Japan

Prescriptions are filled outside the hospital

In Japan, most hospitals and clinics hand you a paper prescription rather than the medicine itself. You take it to a pharmacy, often the one directly outside the hospital gate or across the street, where a pharmacist fills it and explains dosage. Prescriptions have a short validity, usually a few days, so fill them on the day.

What happens at the pharmacy

You hand over the prescription and, if you have one, the facility's patient card. The pharmacist may ask about allergies and other medicines. Medicines come with a printed leaflet, usually in Japanese, showing each item, how many times a day and whether before or after meals. Companion staff who speak your language go with you, interpret the pharmacist's explanation and read the leaflet with you. They do not decide anything; they translate.

Paying

The pharmacy is paid separately from the hospital, at its own counter, by card or cash. Keep the receipt with the hospital receipt if you plan to claim anything from insurance at home.