Traveling with Medication and vitamins

Hi Everyone. We are traveling to Japan in October for the first time, from the US. I have read that it is difficult to bring prescribed meds into Japan as well as over the counter (Tylenol) and vitamins. 
 

Am I understanding this incorrectly and way off base or is there a safe way to travel with meds in Japan and not get them confiscated? 
 

Thank you so much!

Have not had any problem, Been to Japan numerous times.

Japan is very strict about most medicines.

until a few years ago, one needed a doctor’s note to purchase Tonic Water - which is a medicine.

The government is looking for large quantities of controlled substances being imported or exported.

They have no interest in your 7-day supply of blood thinner.

If you do plan to carry a large quantity of opiates or similar into Japan, you need to report it.

I think there are different rules based on how long you will be there. Some drugs are not allowed at all.   I believe You need to apply online for a Yakkan Shoumei if it is 30 days or more.   You will also need to preclear if you have a CPAP as well.   
 

The process is quite simple and fast.  

On 7/22/2023 at 4:20 PM, bennybear said:

I think there are different rules based on how long you will be there. Some drugs are not allowed at all.   I believe You need to apply online for a Yakkan Shoumei if it is 30 days or more.   You will also need to preclear if you have a CPAP as well.   
 

The process is quite simple and fast.  

Did you apply for the under the Yakkan Shoumei under the gBizID system?  

18 minutes ago, floridatravelersforlife said:

Did you apply for the under the Yakkan Shoumei under the gBizID system?  

We are from Canada and did the form online, I don’t recall what system.  I see the US embassy has information on how to do it.  Some information from them:

Decisions on which medications or prescription drugs can be brought into Japan are made solely by the Japanese Government and subject to control under Japan’s Pharmaceutical Affairs Law.  Many common medications and over-the-counter drugs in the United States are illegal in Japan.  It does not matter if you have a valid U.S. prescription for a medicine/drug which is illegal in Japan:  if you bring it with you, you risk arrest and detention by the Japanese authorities.  The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Japan do not maintain a comprehensive list of prohibited medications or ingredients. Comprehensive information is available only from the Japanese government and is subject to change without notice.  All travelers are encouraged to check before traveling to Japan at  Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare  (MHLW) website, including reviewing FAQ , or to email yakkan@mhlw.go.jp.

Travelers who need to bring more than the MLHW’s approved quantity of medication or medical devices should obtain a “Yunyu Kakunin-sho” (importation certificate) prior to travelling, and present it with the prescription to a customs officer upon arrival in Japan.  Certificate approval by the Japanese government may take several weeks to process and should be received before bringing the medication or medical devices to Japan.

All travelers entering Japan with a prescription medication, including medication that is not restricted in Japan, should consider bringing a copy of their doctor’s prescription as well as a letter stating the purpose of the drug.

For more information about bringing medicines into Japan and how to obtain a “Yunyu Kakunin-sho” certificate, please visit the website of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare  and email yakkan@mhlw.go.jp.

When you make your email inquiry to yakkan@mhlw.go.jp, please include the following information:

1. The drug’s active ingredients
2. The name of the medicine
3. The dosage and quantity
4. Your e-mail address

I wanted to follow up with this thread. I went through the arduous process of applying with 15 Rx drugs for the certification on line via cell phone.  After all that here is what they  sent me by email. I deleted the personal data below.i plan to bring each RX drug in its pill container and a copy of what I sent.  i'M DONE I

"
【補正内容】
・We do NOT issue this certificate for your medications within 30-day supply (ex. 30 pills or 30 tablets), so please make an application only for the medications whose supplies are beyond 30-day and delete medications within 30-day supply

Kanto-Shinetsu Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare"

Do we need to make an email inquiry to yakkan@mhlw.go.jp to be able to bring a CPAP machine, less than 30 day?

1 hour ago, Sunlightlover said:

Do we need to make an email inquiry to yakkan@mhlw.go.jp to be able to bring a CPAP machine, less than 30 day?

No, you do not.

On 7/25/2023 at 9:59 AM, bennybear said:

Travelers who need to bring more than the MLHW’s approved quantity of medication or medical devices should obtain a “Yunyu Kakunin-sho” (importation certificate) prior to travelling, and present it with the prescription to a customs officer upon arrival in Japan.  

On 8/9/2023 at 9:25 PM, BruceMuzz said:

No, you do not.

Just wondering as the info from the US  embassy says you do need it for medical devices.  
When we visited last time,  we were told we needed one and found 
it’s  easy to get.   

On 8/6/2023 at 1:02 PM, floridatravelersforlife said:

I wanted to follow up with this thread. I went through the arduous process of applying with 15 Rx drugs for the certification on line via cell phone.  After all that here is what they  sent me by email. I deleted the personal data below.i plan to bring each RX drug in its pill container and a copy of what I sent.  i'M DONE I

 

"
【補正内容】
・We do NOT issue this certificate for your medications within 30-day supply (ex. 30 pills or 30 tablets), so please make an application only for the medications whose supplies are beyond 30-day and delete medications within 30-day supply

 

Kanto-Shinetsu Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare"

 

Thank you floridatravelersforlife!

Are they saying that if you have less than a 30 day supply of meds, you don't have to go through the process that you went through?

If yes, I would think if meds are carried in their prescription bottle, all should be fine. My vitamins are not prescription but I guess it would be best to take those in their original bottle too...although they will take up a large amount of space as those bottles are large.

Guess condensing into a daily marked container might not be a good plan for Japan...

Japanese people are far more serious about vitamins and health supplements than Americans are.

Japanese Customs Officers will not be surprised to see large quantities of vitamins in your bags.

It really is not a problem.

7 hours ago, floralscent said:

Thank you floridatravelersforlife!

 

Are they saying that if you have less than a 30 day supply of meds, you don't have to go through the process that you went through?

 

If yes, I would think if meds are carried in their prescription bottle, all should be fine. My vitamins are not prescription but I guess it would be best to take those in their original bottle too...although they will take up a large amount of space as those bottles are large.

 

Guess condensing into a daily marked container might not be a good plan for Japan...

The electronic process asks for doctor's Rx.  I am bringing my 20 days supply in the pill bottles and my printed list of scripts.

On 8/9/2023 at 11:25 PM, BruceMuzz said:

No, you do not.

Do we need to make an email inquiry to yakkan@mhlw.go.jp to be able to bring a CPAP machine, less than 30 day?

Unfortunately, it's not the case. I emailed to yakkan@mhlw.go.jp and they responded that a CPAP machine is a medical device and would require a formal application/permission. All other medications on my list are okay within their limits. If someone went through this process, please chime in.

11 hours ago, Sunlightlover said:

Do we need to make an email inquiry to yakkan@mhlw.go.jp to be able to bring a CPAP machine, less than 30 day?

 

Unfortunately, it's not the case. I emailed to yakkan@mhlw.go.jp and they responded that a CPAP machine is a medical device and would require a formal application/permission. All other medications on my list are okay within their limits. If someone went through this process, please chime in.

 

 

As stated above we were told we needed one for the CPAP and easily got one which we showed to the officers.   It’s easy to get so why chance it?