Consulate-General of Japan in New York (2024)

Custom Allowances & Regulations For Passengers Entering Japan

The information contained in these pages relates to only the most frequently asked questions, does not explain all of the applicable laws and regulations and is subject to change without notice. This site is provided for your convenience only. If you need more information, please check the Japan Customs website.

The Consulate General of Japan does not warrant the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of this information and expressly disclaims liability for errors or omissions in this information. No warranty of any kind, implied, express or statutory, is given in conjunction with this information.

1. Prohibited Articles
2. Major Restricted Articles
3. Duty-Free Limits

1. Prohibited Articles

1. Heroin, cocaine, MDMA, opium, cannabis, stimulants, psychotropic substances, and other narcotic drugs (excluding those designated by Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Ordinance).
2. Firearms (pistols, etc.), ammunition (bullets) thereof, and pistol parts.
3. Explosives (dynamite, gunpowder, etc.).
4. Precursor materials for chemical weapons.
5. Counterfeit, altered, or imitation coins, paper money, bank notes, or securities, and forged credit cards.
6. Books, drawings, carvings, and any other article which may harm public safety or morals (obscene or immoral materials, e.g., p*rnography).
7. Child p*rnography.
8. Articles which infringe upon intellectual property rights.

2. Major Restricted Articles

1. Plants and animals must be presented to the plant or animal quarantine officer for quarantine inspection prior to Customs examination.
2. There are quantity restrictions on the import of medicine and cosmetics.
   (e.g., for pharmaceutical products: amount for use for a period of 2 months; quasi-drugs: amount for use for a period of 2 months; cosmetics: 24 applications) .
3. No person shall bring hunting guns, air guns, swords, etc. into Japan without a permit to possess.
   

3.Duty-Free Limits

In general, passengers do not have to pay duty on used items brought into Japan for personal use (e.g., clothes, jewelry, & appropriate professional equipment).

• Most new goods or items intended as gifts, which have a cumulative overseas market value over 200,000 yen, are subject to a 10% duty charge on the combined value of all the items. Such goods will also be subject to the 5% consumption tax, which is based on the goods' value including duty charges (if any).
• Some items not subject to duty are watches, sports gear (e.g., golf clubs & tennis rackets) and most electronic equipment (including computers, stereos and cameras). However, such goods are still subject to the 5% consumption tax if their cumulative value exceeds 200,000 yen.
• Please note that golf bags and leather handbags are subject to a 15% duty charge.
• Any item or set of items with a total overseas market value below 10,000 yen is not subject to duty charges and/or taxes and is not counted when calculating the cumulative value of items subject to duty charges.
• There is no duty-free allowance for articles or sets of articles with an overseas market value over 200,000 yen each or each set.
• Children aged five years and under may only bring personal items (i.e., children's items) into Japan duty free.
  Major exceptions to these duty-free limits are as follows:

  Perfume
  

  • Each passenger may bring up to 2 ounces of "pure" perfume into Japan duty-free. Cologne, eau de toilette and eau de parfum are considered cosmetics (see cosmetics).
    

  Liquor

  • Residents and non-residents of Japan may bring three (3) bottles, each 760 ml, into Japan duty-free.
    
  • Persons under twenty (20) years of age must pay duty on all liquor brought into Japan.

  Tobacco

  • Residents of Japan may bring 200 foreign cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of smoking tobacco, and, in addition, 200 Japanese cigarettes into Japan duty-free.
    
  • Non-residents may bring 400 foreign cigarettes or 100 cigars or 500 grams of smoking tobacco, and, in addition, 400 Japanese cigarettes into Japan duty-free.
  • Persons under twenty (20) years of age must pay duty on all tobacco products brought into Japan.

  Unaccompanied Baggage and Personal Effects

  • All passengers who are having articles shipped separately, or who have unaccompanied luggage, must fill out two copies of the Declaration of Accompanied Personal Effects and Unaccompanied Articles (Form C 5360-2). Such items must be imported within six months of the date of arrival in Japan. Without these completed forms, passengers must pay duty charges on all new items brought unaccompanied into Japan, except those goods valued under 10,000 yen. If these forms are completed, such items will be subject to duty charges only if their value plus the value of accompanied items exceeds 200,000 yen.
    
  • Those passengers who are moving to Japan may exempt personal and household effects from duties by filing two of the aforementioned forms, if another carrier is sending such articles.
    
  • Passengers will receive the Declaration of Accompanied Personal Effects and Unaccompanied Articles (Form C 5360-2) in their aircraft or at Japanese customs.

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