Japan medication and entry requirements
We are going to Japan on the Oct 5, 2023 trip. For those leaving whose departure date is sooner, I am curious about bringing prescriptions as well as OTC meds into Japan. Was the process for obtaining the certificates difficult to obtain? Is pre-approval necessary for Advil?
Also, is the Visit Japan Web still mandated prior to entry into Japan?
Did Tauck provide instructions and guidance about the above?
Thanks in advance!
D
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I'm going in a few weeks. I filled out the forms on the Visit Japan web site to expedite entry. It generated a QR code to show the immigration official. From what I read and recall, it's not mandatory, but will save time at the airport upon arrival. Can't answer your medication question.
I went to Japan in April 2017. The issue of medication never came up. I usually pack my daily meds and vitamins in small plastic pill pouches I don’t carry the bottles from the pharmacy. They take up too much room in my carry-on. I try and pack ad lightweight as I possibly can. No one ever inquired about my medications in Japan. Not one time.
I don’t think there was anything like this when I last went to Japan, but that was way before such Internet sophistication.
My husband had to have documentation to take drugs for commercial and research purposes if I recall when he was working, but for personal use, I don’t think it is necessary.
You should check that any drugs for personal use are legal in Japan as some may not be, I think anything like that will be a problem, possibly, if they even ask you. When I go in September I intend to just take my meds in the weekly medicine packs that I normally do, unless my travel company tell me otherwise. I’ll have an official list of meds from my doctors to show them, actual scripts to take with you are pretty useless in other countries. I’m lucky in that my husband can speak pretty good Japanese, I’m less concerned. I will also wait to see if my travel company tells me about Visit Japan as they have done a better job than Tauck has about what is required for trips so far for us.
Any feedback. BKMD will surely be appreciated when you visit.
Question for BKMD… Don’t know whether you got your Covid vax in US, but if you did, was the yellow CDC vaccination card sufficient proof or did you have to have upload a QR certification from Dept of Health in your state?
Can’t wait to hear specifics after BKMD’s trip!
As always, thanks for the info.
D
The Covid vaccine cards are white aren’t they! Yellow cards are the Yellow fever ones. We don’t have QR codes in our state. We always carry our actual cards, keep them in our passports.
My card is white. I uploaded a copy of the card to the site and will be bringing it, along with my passport.
Thanks! ( I’m not home … thought card was yellow but it’s probably white too!)
Looking forward to hearing about the trip!
D
I am on the Essence of Japan tour 4/9. Used the Visit Japan web, uploaded copy of white Covid vax card and passport numbers, flights etc. it generated two QR code’s which I printed. Also bringing my vax card with me. Same as BKMD.As far as RX meds, there is quite a bit of info on TripAdvisor on this subject. There is a Dr. on the board who lives in Tokyo and is a destination expert. She has advised numerous times that taking a 30 day supply of your normal meds in one bottle or in daily pill packs is fine. There are certain drugs that are prohibited. I’m sorry, I don’t know them off the top of my head. But go to TA and search the subject. You will get expert advice.
While many of us on Tauck and Trip advisor are always giving ‘advise’ the best way to obtain correct and official advise is to go to the relevant official government agency such as this Japanese one which clearly states about importation of medicines
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/policy/health-medical/pharmaceuticals/01.html
And here is a US Embassy website, very strict guidelines
https://jp.usembassy.gov/services/importing-medication/
According to this official Japan Travel website, you cannot bring Advil or Tylenol into Japan!
https://en.japantravel.com/guide/bringing-medicines-into-japan/58063