If you want to bring supplements, medicine, cosmetics, or contact lenses into Japan for your own use, there are quantity limits set by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW). Stay within the personal-import allowance and you can normally carry or ship the items without extra paperwork. Go over the allowance and you generally need a document called a Yakkan Shoumei (薬監証明) before the goods clear customs. This page covers the quantity and paperwork rules only. It does not describe what any product does or how it might affect you.
The personal-import quantity limits
The figures below are the standard personal-use limits published by MHLW. They apply to products you import for yourself, not for resale or for others. "About" means these are guideline quantities, and the exact assessment is made by the authorities.
| Product category | Personal-import limit (guideline) |
|---|---|
| Prescription medicine | About 1 month's supply |
| Non-prescription (over-the-counter) medicine and quasi-drugs (医薬部外品) | About 2 months' supply |
| Cosmetics and external-use products | 24 standard units per item (per product type) |
| Contact lenses | About 2 months' supply |
| Supplements (treated as food, no drug ingredients) | Not restricted as medicine; see note below |
For cosmetics and external-use products, the "24 units" limit is counted per item. If you bring several different products, each product is counted separately against its own 24-unit allowance. A "unit" here means one standard container, such as one bottle or one tube.
How supplements are classified
Supplements are generally treated as food when they do not contain ingredients that Japan regulates as drugs. In that case the medicine quantity limits above do not apply to them in the same way. However, if a supplement contains an ingredient that Japan classifies as a drug component, it is handled under the medicine rules instead, and the quantity limits and paperwork can apply. Because the classification depends on the specific ingredients, it is worth checking your product against the regulated-ingredient rules before you order.
When you are buying supplements online to send to Japan, keep your order within the food-item personal-use range and check the ingredient list first.
Import rules and quantity limits still apply. We make no health claims; this is only where to buy.
For a walkthrough of ordering and shipping to a Japanese address, see our iHerb Japan guide. To check whether a specific ingredient is regulated, see blocked and restricted ingredients.
What is a Yakkan Shoumei?
A Yakkan Shoumei (薬監証明), sometimes written in English as an import confirmation, is a document issued by a regional bureau of MHLW. In general terms, it confirms to Japan Customs that a quantity of medicine or medical goods above the standard personal-import allowance is being brought in for the importer's own personal use and not for sale or distribution.
You apply for it before your items arrive, usually by submitting details of the product, the quantity, and the reason it exceeds the normal limit. If the application is accepted, the bureau issues the confirmation, and you present it at customs so the goods can be released. The Yakkan Shoumei itself is a paperwork and quantity confirmation. It is not a statement about the product's contents or purpose.
You typically need a Yakkan Shoumei when you exceed any of the medicine limits in the table above, for example more than about one month of prescription medicine or more than about two months of over-the-counter medicine, quasi-drugs, or contact lenses, or more than 24 units of a cosmetic item.
Before you order or travel
- Count each product category separately against its own limit.
- Keep receipts and product information so the quantity and category are clear at customs.
- If you expect to exceed a limit, look into a Yakkan Shoumei well before your items ship or you travel.
- Check whether any ingredient is regulated, since that can change how a product is classified.
Not sure whether your item is allowed at all? Start with can I import this? for a category-by-category overview.
A note on accuracy
These limits and procedures are set and updated by MHLW, and they change from time to time. The quantities on this page are guidelines to help you plan, not a guarantee of how any shipment will be assessed. Always confirm the current rules and any application steps with MHLW before you order or travel.
Source: MHLW (mhlw.go.jp) personal import pages, verified 2026-09-07.