Legality25I-NBOMe in Japan, full detail →3-MMC in Japan, full detail →5-MeO-DMT (Bufo / Toad) in Japan, full detail →6-APB in Japan, full detail →7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) in Japan, full detail →Adderall in Japan, full detail →Alcohol in Japan, full detail →Amphetamine in Japan, full detail →Barbiturates in Japan, full detail →Benzodiazepines in Japan, full detail →Buprenorphine in Japan, full detail →Cannabis / THC in Japan, full detail →Cathinone in Japan, full detail →CBD in Japan, full detail →Clonazepam in Japan, full detail →Cocaine in Japan, full detail →Codeine in Japan, full detail →Crack Cocaine in Japan, full detail →Delta-8-THC in Japan, full detail →Diazepam in Japan, full detail →DOM in Japan, full detail →DXM in Japan, full detail →Ephedrine in Japan, full detail →Etizolam in Japan, full detail →Heroin in Japan, full detail →HHC in Japan, full detail →Hydrocodone in Japan, full detail →Ketamine in Japan, full detail →Khat in Japan, full detail →Kratom in Japan, full detail →Lorazepam in Japan, full detail →MDA in Japan, full detail →MDMA in Japan, full detail →MDPV in Japan, full detail →Memantine in Japan, full detail →Mephedrone (4-MMC) in Japan, full detail →Methadone in Japan, full detail →Methamphetamine in Japan, full detail →Methylone in Japan, full detail →Methylphenidate in Japan, full detail →Mitragynine in Japan, full detail →Modafinil in Japan, full detail →Morphine in Japan, full detail →MXE in Japan, full detail →Nitrous Oxide in Japan, full detail →Oxycodone in Japan, full detail →Pink Cocaine / Tusi in Japan, full detail →Poppers in Japan, full detail →Pregabalin in Japan, full detail →Quetiapine in Japan, full detail →Salvia divinorum in Japan, full detail →Scopolamine (Devil's Breath) in Japan, full detail →Synthetic Cannabinoids (K2 / Spice) in Japan, full detail →THC-P in Japan, full detail →Tramadol in Japan, full detail →Xanax (Alprazolam) in Japan, full detail →Xylazine in Japan, full detail →Zolpidem in Japan, full detail →
Legal status in Japan
Per-substance legal status for Japan, from sourced statutes where available. Legal information, not legal advice; drug laws change, so confirm with the destination’s embassy or drug authority before you travel.
Confirmed legal status
25I-NBOMe
- Legal status
- 25I-NBOMe was designated a controlled 'designated substance' (shitei-yakubutsu) in 2014 and reclassified as a Narcotic (mayaku) under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Law in November 2015; it is individually named.
- Consequences if caught
- Possession, use, transfer and trafficking of a narcotic are criminal offences carrying imprisonment, with heavier penalties for import and trafficking.
- If prescribed / medical
- No accepted medical use; not available on prescription.
- Documentation
- Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Law (Mayaku oyobi Koseishinyaku Torishimari Ho).
unodc.org · Updated July 14, 2026
3-MMC
- Legal status
- 3-MMC (3-methylmethcathinone) is controlled, caught by Japan's 2013/Jan-2014 comprehensive (“generic”) designation of synthetic cathinone derivatives by backbone structure, which captures the ring-substituted 3-isomer as a Designated Substance / narcotic without individual naming.
- Consequences if caught
- Designated/narcotic-substance offences: possession, use and trafficking are criminal, carrying imprisonment. Non-death-penalty jurisdiction (for this class).
- If prescribed / medical
- No recognised medical use and no lawful prescription route.
- Documentation
- No lawful personal-import route for a designated substance.
unodc.org · Updated July 14, 2026
5-MeO-DMT (Bufo / Toad)
- Legal status
- 5-MeO-DMT is individually controlled in Japan — designated by name (5-メトキシ-N,N-ジメチルトリプタミン) as a Designated Substance (shitei-yakubutsu) under the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Act, effective 28 February 2007.
- Consequences if caught
- Manufacture, import, sale, possession and use of 5-MeO-DMT as a Designated Substance are prohibited and criminally penalised under the PMD Act.
- If prescribed / medical
- No medical use; a Designated Substance may be handled only for approved research or testing purposes under authorisation, and is not prescribable.
- Documentation
- Named in the MHLW Designated Substances list (指定薬物名称: 5-メトキシ-N,N-ジメチルトリプタミン); designated 28 February 2007 (平成19年2月28日).
mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 14, 2026
6-APB
- Legal status
- 6-APB is controlled in Japan — (2-aminopropyl)benzofuran (APB) was added to the designated-substance (Shitei-Yakubutsu) list under the Pharmaceutical Affairs / narcotics law in April 2014; sale and import are banned.
- Consequences if caught
- Designated dangerous drug: possession, use, sale and import prohibited, with imprisonment and fines. No death penalty.
- If prescribed / medical
- No recognised medical use; no lawful prescription route.
- Documentation
- Import and sale banned; no lawful personal-import route.
mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 14, 2026
7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH)
- Legal status
- 7-Hydroxymitragynine, a kratom alkaloid, is a Designated Substance (shitei yakubutsu) under the PMD Act since March 2016: it is named directly alongside mitragynine and Mitragyna speciosa, so the alkaloids are controlled together with the plant (no differential threshold vs leaf).
- Consequences if caught
- Manufacture, import, possession or use of a Designated Substance is prohibited and prosecutable under the PMD Act.
- If prescribed / medical
- No lawful medical route — a Designated Substance has no approved Japanese medical use.
- Documentation
- No lawful personal-import route for a Designated Substance.
mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 13, 2026
Adderall
- Legal status
- Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts) has no separate legal identity — it is regulated AS amphetamine: controlled as a 'Stimulant' (覚醒剤) under the Stimulants Control Act (Kakuseizai Torishimari Hō).
- Consequences if caught
- BANNED even with a foreign prescription — MHLW states amphetamine/Adderall cannot be imported into Japan even for treatment; possession up to 10 years with labour; travellers face arrest/detention at customs.
- If prescribed / medical
- There is NO personal-import route: a foreign prescription does NOT legalise it. Do not carry amphetamine/Adderall into Japan.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Stimulants Control Act (覚醒剤取締法) · MHLW Narcotics Control Dept · ncd.mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 13, 2026
Alcohol
- Legal status
- Legal — alcohol (ethanol) is a licensed, age-regulated beverage, not a controlled drug; minimum drinking and purchase age 20.
- Consequences if caught
- No penalty for adult consumption; sale/supply to under-20s is prohibited and retailers are penalised.
- If prescribed / medical
- n/a — a beverage, not a medicine.
- Documentation
- Widely sold in shops, konbini and vending outlets on proof of age (20+); no traveller permit.
who.int · Updated July 14, 2026
Amphetamine
- Legal status
- Controlled as a 'Stimulant' (覚醒剤) under the Stimulants Control Act (Kakuseizai Torishimari Hō).
- Consequences if caught
- BANNED even with a foreign prescription — MHLW states amphetamine/Adderall cannot be imported into Japan even for treatment; possession up to 10 years with labour; travellers face arrest/detention at customs.
- If prescribed / medical
- There is NO personal-import route: a foreign prescription does NOT legalise it. Do not carry amphetamine/Adderall into Japan.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Stimulants Control Act (覚醒剤取締法) · MHLW Narcotics Control Dept · ncd.mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 13, 2026
Barbiturates
- Legal status
- Barbiturates are controlled psychotropics under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act, classed by compound: secobarbital, pentobarbital and amobarbital are Class 2 psychotropics (第二種向精神薬) while phenobarbital and barbital sit in the lower Class 3 (第三種向精神薬), mirroring the 1971 Convention tiers.
- Consequences if caught
- Unlicensed import over the certificate-free limit is a drug-control offence (seizure and possible prosecution).
- If prescribed / medical
- Phenobarbital is prescribed as a Class 3 psychotropic antiepileptic (a WHO Essential Medicine); the higher-tier sedative-hypnotic barbiturates are more tightly controlled and rarely used.
- Documentation
- No Yakkan Shoumei import certificate is needed for a non-injection personal supply at or below the tabled ceiling; above that, or for injectable forms, obtain the certificate before arrival.
japaneselawtranslation.go.jp · Updated July 14, 2026
Benzodiazepines
- Legal status
- Controlled as psychotropics — import only if prescribed for the traveler, with advance permission for amounts above set limits
- Consequences if caught
- Non-prescribed possession or import → psychotropics offence; arrest and prosecution.
- If prescribed / medical
- Importable only if prescribed for you; advance permission from the Narcotics Control Department is required for larger amounts (apply at least 14 days before entry). Diazepam: no import certificate (Yunyu Kakunin-sho) needed under 1.2 g.
- Documentation
- Doctor's certificate stating the specific medical necessity ('personal use' is not accepted), a list of medicines with doses, original packaging, and declare at customs.
ncd.mhlw.go.jp · Updated June 25, 2026
Buprenorphine
- Legal status
- Buprenorphine is a controlled psychotropic under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act — a lighter tier than narcotic methadone; it is available for analgesia and inpatient detoxification, but Japan has no agonist-maintenance OST programme, so it is not used for maintenance treatment.
- Consequences if caught
- Unlicensed import over the certificate-free limit is a drug-control offence (seizure and possible prosecution).
- If prescribed / medical
- Prescribed as an analgesic/detoxification medicine, not for maintenance opioid substitution (no methadone-maintenance-style programme exists).
- Documentation
- Buprenorphine needs a Yakkan Shoumei (yunyu kakunin-sho) import certificate plus the prescription before arrival.
ncd.mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 13, 2026
Cannabis / THC
- Legal status
- Prohibited (cannabis; cannabinol/CBN prohibited as of 2026-06-01)
- Consequences if caught
- Possession, use, or import → arrest and prosecution, including for recreational users.
- If prescribed / medical
- A foreign prescription does not make it legal; no exemption.
- Documentation
- None — import is not permitted in any form.
us.emb-japan.go.jp · travel.state.gov · Updated June 25, 2026
Cathinone
- Legal status
- Controlled — cathinone (khat's natural principal alkaloid) is a 1971 Convention SCHEDULE I psychotropic and is scheduled as a narcotic (mayaku) under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act. Mechanism: 1971 Sch-I transposition, named. As the parent compound it is DISTINCT from the khat PLANT (Catha edulis leaf, not individually scheduled and caught via its cathinone content) and from the synthetic cathinones (mephedrone etc., controlled via the designated-drug route) that derive from it; cathinone is the named narcotic alkaloid, cathine the milder controlled metabolite (1971 Schedule III).
- Consequences if caught
- Narcotic (mayaku): possession and import of the alkaloid prosecuted under the narcotics law. Japan does not impose the death penalty for drug offences.
- If prescribed / medical
- 1971 Schedule I substance with no accepted medical use and no lawful prescription route for the isolated alkaloid.
- Documentation
- No licit personal-carry or import route for a controlled narcotic.
japaneselawtranslation.go.jp · Updated July 14, 2026
CBD
- Legal status
- CBD (cannabidiol) is legal only if THC is below the MHLW residue limits introduced by the December 2023 Cannabis Control Act amendment (effective 12 Dec 2024): 10 ppm in oils/fats and powders, 1 ppm in other solids, and 0.1 ppm in aqueous solutions; any product over the limit is a controlled narcotic.
- Consequences if caught
- A CBD product above the residue limits is a narcotic (mayaku) and possession/import is a narcotics offence; the 2023 reform also newly criminalised cannabis use itself. A common overseas 0.3%-THC full-spectrum oil equals about 3,000 ppm, far over the limits.
- If prescribed / medical
- The 2023 reform created a legal route for cannabis-derived pharmaceuticals (enabling Epidiolex-type approvals); compliant sub-limit CBD remains legal.
- Documentation
- Carry a component-analysis certificate (seibun-bunsekisho) proving THC below the 10/1/0.1 ppm residue limits; a full-spectrum overseas oil cannot be legalised by paperwork.
mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 14, 2026
Clonazepam
- Legal status
- Clonazepam is a Schedule IV psychotropic under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act.
- Consequences if caught
- Unlicensed import over the certificate-free limit is a drug-control offence (seizure and possible prosecution).
- If prescribed / medical
- Prescribed as a controlled psychotropic medicine.
- Documentation
- No Yakkan Shoumei import certificate is needed for a non-injection personal supply at or below the tabled ceiling (clonazepam is on the same NCD certificate-free table as the other benzodiazepines; the exact figure is set by that table); above it, or for injectable forms, obtain the certificate before arrival.
ncd.mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 13, 2026
Cocaine
- Legal status
- Prohibited
- Consequences if caught
- Possession, use, or import → arrest and prosecution.
- If prescribed / medical
- No medical/prescription import permitted.
- Documentation
- None — import is not permitted in any form.
us.emb-japan.go.jp · Updated June 25, 2026
Codeine
- Legal status
- Codeine is import-controlled for travellers: bringing codeine into Japan requires an advance Yunyu Kakunin-sho (Yakkan Shoumei) import certificate, and many foreign codeine/pseudoephedrine OTC products are barred from import regardless of quantity (a limited domestic low-dose OTC exists). Codeine is a controlled narcotic-class substance.
- Consequences if caught
- Importing codeine without a narcotics licence/certificate is illegal - risk of seizure, detention and prosecution; domestic misuse is a drug-control offence.
- If prescribed / medical
- Dispensed domestically as a controlled medicine (a limited low-dose OTC exists); imports need the certificate.
- Documentation
- TRAVELLER TRAP: codeine imports can be blocked or seized without a pre-obtained Yakkan Shoumei import certificate - obtain it before arrival.
ncd.mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 13, 2026
Crack Cocaine
- Legal status
- Crack is the freebase (base) form of cocaine and has no separate legal identity in Japan: it is controlled AS cocaine, a narcotic under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act, whose scheduling covers cocaine, its salts and preparations and so reaches the base/freebase form. Crack is prohibited identically to cocaine.
- Consequences if caught
- Possession, use, import and trafficking of crack (as cocaine) are criminal; import and trafficking carry long imprisonment, and unauthorised possession/use imprisonment with labour.
- If prescribed / medical
- Cocaine has only narrow controlled medical use; the crack/freebase base has no medicinal preparation and cannot be prescribed or imported by travellers.
- Documentation
- No prescription documentation exists for crack/freebase cocaine.
us.emb-japan.go.jp · Updated July 14, 2026
Delta-8-THC
- Legal status
- Controlled — under the amended Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Law (in force 12 December 2024), THC and its hallucinogenic isomers are designated narcotics, and possession/transfer of products containing synthetically produced delta-8-THC (Δ8-THC) is prohibited; delta-8 is controlled as a hallucinogenic isomer of THC. The reform shifted cannabis control from plant-part to ingredient/THC-content basis. Distinct from harmless CBD. No death penalty.
- Consequences if caught
- Illegal; strict possession/import offences with imprisonment under the NPSCL.
- If prescribed / medical
- No recognised medical use; delta-8-THC is not a prescribable medicine.
- Documentation
- Very strict import controls; no lawful personal import of a narcotic tetrahydrocannabinol.
ncd.mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 14, 2026
Diazepam
- Legal status
- Diazepam is a Schedule IV psychotropic under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act.
- Consequences if caught
- Unlicensed import over the certificate-free limit is a drug-control offence (seizure and possible prosecution).
- If prescribed / medical
- Prescribed as a controlled psychotropic medicine.
- Documentation
- No Yakkan Shoumei import certificate is needed for a non-injection personal supply at or below the tabled ceiling (diazepam 1.2 g of active ingredient); above that, or for injectable forms, obtain the certificate before arrival.
ncd.mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 13, 2026
DOM
- Legal status
- DOM (STP) is designated a narcotic (mayaku) under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Law via the Cabinet Order designating narcotics, Japan's transposition of DOM's individual Schedule I listing under the 1971 UN Convention.
- Consequences if caught
- Possession, use and trafficking are criminal offences under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Law (imprisonment up to 7 years, and up to 10 years or more for profit-related trafficking).
- If prescribed / medical
- Designated narcotic with no accepted medical use; not prescribable.
- Documentation
- Cabinet Order designating narcotics, narcotic raw-material plants, psychotropics etc. under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Law.
mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 14, 2026
DXM
- Legal status
- Over-the-counter medicine with an abuse-prevention overlay. Dextromethorphan (DXM) is sold OTC (switched from prescription to non-prescription in 2021) and is NOT drug-scheduled; under the 2026 amendment to the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Act it becomes a 'designated abuse-prevention drug' (指定濫用防止医薬品) from 1 May 2026, triggering sales restrictions — quantity limits, and for buyers under a set age purchase of only one small pack with a face-to-face/verified sale.
- Consequences if caught
- No narcotics-control offence (DXM is not scheduled); from May 2026 non-compliant OTC sale (for example bulk or unverified under-age sales) breaches the pharmaceutical-sale rules.
- If prescribed / medical
- Cough-suppressant status: OTC antitussive; from May 2026 a designated abuse-prevention drug with pharmacist/registered-seller sales controls.
- Documentation
- DXM cough medicine is bought OTC in Japan; from May 2026 large-quantity and under-age purchases are restricted and confirmed at the point of sale.
mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 14, 2026
Ephedrine
- Legal status
- Regulated as a chemical PRECURSOR (1988 UN Convention Table I — a methamphetamine precursor), NOT as a scheduled narcotic; a listed 'raw material for stimulants' under the Stimulants Control Act (Act No. 252 of 1951) — import/manufacture/handling need an MHLW licence. NOT a narcotic. Low-concentration cold preparations are pharmacy medicines.
- Consequences if caught
- Precursor-diversion (unlicensed import/export/possession/transfer of stimulant raw materials): imprisonment with labour up to 10 years — distinct from the harsher meth/amphetamine offences.
- If prescribed / medical
- Also a pharmacy/prescription decongestant-bronchodilator medicine subject to sales limits; carry documentation for a personal supply.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
japaneselawtranslation.go.jp · Updated July 13, 2026
Etizolam
- Legal status
- Etizolam is a LICENSED prescription medicine in Japan (marketed as Depas by Mitsubishi Tanabe) — a widely prescribed prescription-only ethical drug. It is NOT a scheduled narcotic or psychotropic; Japan is etizolam's country of origin.
- Consequences if caught
- Only a prescription-medicine offence applies to illicit supply — etizolam is a normal prescription drug, not a scheduled narcotic.
- If prescribed / medical
- Fully approved and widely prescribed as Depas — a normal prescription-only medicine.
- Documentation
- As a licensed medicine, carry it in original packaging with your prescription; unlike the classic benzodiazepines it is not on the psychotropic import-certificate table.
who.int · Updated July 13, 2026
Heroin
- Legal status
- Prohibited
- Consequences if caught
- Possession, use, or import → arrest and prosecution.
- If prescribed / medical
- No medical/prescription import permitted.
- Documentation
- None — import is not permitted in any form.
us.emb-japan.go.jp · Updated June 25, 2026
HHC
- Legal status
- HHC (hexahydrocannabinol) is a Designated Substance (shitei yakubutsu) under Japan's Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Act — named by MHLW ordinance promulgated 7 March 2022, effective 17 March 2022, one of the earliest national HHC bans anywhere.
- Consequences if caught
- Manufacture, import, sale, possession and use are in principle prohibited under the designated-substance regime of the PMD Act. Separate from cannabis, which is controlled under the Cannabis Control Act.
- If prescribed / medical
- No medical HHC product; designated substances have no authorised medical use.
- Documentation
- Japan acted very early and by name (March 2022), long before the EU wave, because HHC's hydrogenated structure was not caught by THC provisions. CND later placed HHC in Schedule II of the 1971 Convention (in force 6 December 2025).
mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 14, 2026
Hydrocodone
- Legal status
- Hydrocodone is a narcotic under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act; it is not marketed in Japan but sits in the same narcotic strong-opioid tier as morphine and oxycodone — left to confirmation.
- Consequences if caught
- Unlawful possession up to 7 years; import without a licence up to 10 years or more.
- If prescribed / medical
- No marketed Japanese hydrocodone product; a narcotic opioid is dispensed only on a narcotic prescription.
- Documentation
- Traveller trap: narcotic opioids require an advance narcotic import/export certificate from the Regional Narcotics Control Department (apply at least 14 days ahead) even with a foreign prescription.
ncd.mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 13, 2026
Ketamine
- Legal status
- Classified as a narcotic (麻薬) under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act (controlled since 2007), administered by the MHLW Narcotics Control Department.
- Consequences if caught
- Unauthorised possession or use of a narcotic is a criminal offence (imprisonment, typically up to about 7 years), with heavier penalties for trafficking; foreign prescriptions do not exempt.
- If prescribed / medical
- Available but tightly restricted — handled only through licensed narcotics handlers and medical use.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act (麻薬及び向精神薬取締法) · ncd.mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 13, 2026
Khat
- Legal status
- Controlled — ALKALOIDS ONLY NAMED. Cathinone is scheduled as a narcotic (mayaku) and cathine is controlled as a psychotropic under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act; the Catha edulis plant is not individually scheduled but fresh leaf contains a listed narcotic. Mechanism: NAMED (alkaloids); plant grey.
- Consequences if caught
- Fresh khat leaf carries controlled cathinone and is treated as prohibited; import/possession is prosecuted under the narcotics law.
- If prescribed / medical
- Khat is traditional plant material with no recognised medical use and no lawful prescription route.
- Documentation
- No lawful personal-import route; fresh leaf contains a controlled narcotic — do not carry it into Japan.
japaneselawtranslation.go.jp · Updated July 14, 2026
Kratom
- Legal status
- Kratom is controlled/banned in Japan — Mitragyna speciosa is a Designated Substance (shitei yakubutsu) under the PMD Act since March 2016, with mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine named directly in the designation alongside the plant; manufacture, import, possession and use are prohibited.
- Consequences if caught
- Designated-substance offences under the PMD Act carry imprisonment and fines for import, possession or use.
- If prescribed / medical
- No lawful medical route — a Designated Substance has no approved medical use and is not prescribable.
- Documentation
- No lawful personal-import route; importing kratom or its named alkaloids is prohibited.
mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 13, 2026
Lorazepam
- Legal status
- Lorazepam is a Schedule IV psychotropic under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act.
- Consequences if caught
- Unlicensed import over the certificate-free limit is a drug-control offence (seizure and possible prosecution).
- If prescribed / medical
- Prescribed as a controlled psychotropic medicine.
- Documentation
- No Yakkan Shoumei import certificate is needed for a non-injection personal supply at or below the tabled ceiling (lorazepam is on the same NCD certificate-free table as the other benzodiazepines; the exact figure is set by that table); above it, or for injectable forms, obtain the certificate before arrival.
ncd.mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 13, 2026
MDA
- Legal status
- Controlled — MDA is a designated narcotic (mayaku) under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act (scheduled alongside MDMA). NAMED mechanism.
- Consequences if caught
- Narcotic: import and trafficking heavily penalised (multi-year to life); zero-tolerance possession.
- If prescribed / medical
- Designated narcotic with no recognised medical use; no lawful prescription route.
- Documentation
- No lawful personal import; strict border enforcement.
japaneselawtranslation.go.jp · Updated July 14, 2026
MDMA
- Legal status
- Prohibited
- Consequences if caught
- Possession, use, or import → arrest and prosecution.
- If prescribed / medical
- No medical/prescription import permitted.
- Documentation
- None — import is not permitted in any form.
us.emb-japan.go.jp · Updated June 25, 2026
MDPV
- Legal status
- Controlled. MDPV has been controlled by name since 2012, first as a designated substance (Shitei-Yakubutsu) under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law and subsequently as a narcotic under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act.
- Consequences if caught
- Illegal; possession, import and supply carry imprisonment under strict enforcement. No death penalty.
- If prescribed / medical
- MDPV has no recognised medical use and no lawful prescription route in Japan.
- Documentation
- No lawful personal-import route for a controlled narcotic; strict customs enforcement, do not carry.
unodc.org · Updated July 14, 2026
Memantine
- Legal status
- Memantine is a prescription medicine (yoshohosen-iyakuhin), not a controlled drug: it was approved by the PMDA/MHLW in 2010 under the Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Act and is not listed under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act.
- Consequences if caught
- Memantine carries no narcotics-control penalty; supply outside the prescription channel is a pharmaceuticals-law matter only.
- If prescribed / medical
- Prescribed for moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's-type dementia (marketed as Memary).
- Documentation
- Memantine's approval is documented in the PMDA Report on the Deliberation Results; dispensed as a prescription medicine and carried lawfully with a prescription.
pmda.go.jp · Updated July 14, 2026
Mephedrone (4-MMC)
- Legal status
- Controlled — NAMED. Mephedrone is designated as a controlled substance under the Pharmaceutical Affairs / Narcotics and Psychotropics Control regime (designated-drug 指定薬物 route c. 2010, with cathinone-analogue control tightened 2014–15).
- Consequences if caught
- Controlled/designated drug: possession and import offences under the applicable narcotics and designated-drug laws. Japan does not impose the death penalty for drug offences.
- If prescribed / medical
- Designated/controlled substance with no recognised medical use and no lawful prescription route.
- Documentation
- No licit personal-carry or import route for a controlled/designated drug.
mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 14, 2026
Methadone
- Legal status
- Methadone is a narcotic under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act, but Japan has NO methadone-maintenance programme — methadone is essentially unavailable and is not used for OST (treatment is abstinence/detox-oriented).
- Consequences if caught
- Unlawful possession up to 7 years; import without a licence up to 10 years or more.
- If prescribed / medical
- No agonist-maintenance OST system exists — methadone is effectively not prescribed for maintenance in Japan.
- Documentation
- Carrying methadone into Japan is effectively barred: an advance narcotic import/export certificate from the Regional Narcotics Control Department would be required and is not routinely granted for maintenance.
ncd.mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 13, 2026
Methamphetamine
- Legal status
- Prohibited — controlled as a 'Stimulant' under the Stimulants Control Act
- Consequences if caught
- Possession, use, or import → arrest, detention, and prosecution.
- If prescribed / medical
- Cannot be imported even for medical treatment, even with a valid foreign prescription; no import permit is available.
- Documentation
- None — import is not permitted in any form.
ncd.mhlw.go.jp · Updated June 25, 2026
Methylone
- Legal status
- Controlled as a narcotic under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Law — methylone was first controlled as a designated substance (Shitei-Yakubutsu) then scheduled; reinforced by 1971 Convention Schedule II (2015). No death penalty.
- Consequences if caught
- Illegal; strict possession/import offences with imprisonment.
- If prescribed / medical
- No recognised medical use; no lawful prescription route.
- Documentation
- Very strict import controls; no lawful personal import.
ncd.mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 14, 2026
Methylphenidate
- Legal status
- Controlled psychotropic under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act (a SEPARATE statute from the amphetamine Stimulants Control Act).
- Consequences if caught
- Importable for personal use up to ~2,160 mg (~1 month) without paperwork; above that a Yakkan Shoumei import certificate is required ≥14 days ahead.
- If prescribed / medical
- Yakkan Shoumei certificate required above the ~1-month threshold; carry the prescription.
Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act (麻薬及び向精神薬取締法) · ncd.mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 13, 2026
Mitragynine
- Legal status
- Mitragynine, the principal alkaloid of kratom, is a Designated Substance (shitei yakubutsu) under the PMD Act since March 2016: mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine are named directly in the designation alongside Mitragyna speciosa, so the alkaloids are controlled together with the plant (no differential threshold vs leaf).
- Consequences if caught
- Manufacture, import, possession or use of a Designated Substance is prohibited and prosecutable under the PMD Act.
- If prescribed / medical
- No lawful medical route — a Designated Substance has no approved Japanese medical use.
- Documentation
- No lawful personal-import route for a Designated Substance.
mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 13, 2026
Modafinil
- Legal status
- SCHEDULED — designated psychotropic under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act (approved domestically as Modiodal); personal import strictly controlled.
- Consequences if caught
- Import without a Yakkan Shoumei certificate = seizure and possible detention.
- If prescribed / medical
- Personal import REQUIRES a Yakkan Shoumei certificate obtained ≥2 weeks in advance; a foreign prescription alone is NOT sufficient.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act (designated psychotropic) · ncd.mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 13, 2026
Morphine
- Legal status
- Morphine is a narcotic under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act, dispensed on a narcotics prescription.
- Consequences if caught
- Unlawful possession up to 7 years; import without a licence up to 10 years or more.
- If prescribed / medical
- Prescribed as a controlled narcotic for severe and cancer pain.
- Documentation
- TRAVELLER TRAP — morphine needs an advance narcotic import/export certificate from the Regional Narcotics Control Department (apply at least 14 days ahead) even with a foreign prescription.
ncd.mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 13, 2026
MXE
- Legal status
- MXE (methoxetamine) is a controlled narcotic (麻薬) in Japan under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act; first designated a controlled 'designated substance' (指定薬物) in 2012, it was up-scheduled to a full narcotic in 2016, reflecting its dissociative abuse potential and lack of medical use.
- Consequences if caught
- As a narcotic, MXE possession, use, trafficking and import are criminal offences carrying imprisonment; import in particular is treated severely under Japan's narcotics control regime.
- If prescribed / medical
- MXE has no approved medical or prescription use in Japan.
- Documentation
- There is no lawful supply; carrying or importing MXE (including by post) is prosecutable, with no traveller exemption.
unodc.org · Updated July 14, 2026
Nitrous Oxide
- Legal status
- Nitrous oxide is an internationally uncontrolled anaesthetic medical gas and food additive (E942) per the WHO expert review; in Japan it is handled as a medical/pharmaceutical gas rather than a scheduled narcotic, and the exact scope of any national or prefectural restriction on recreational supply is left to confirmation.
- Consequences if caught
- Recreational sale is curbed through pharmaceutical-law controls on unlicensed supply and local ordinances; because nitrous oxide is not a scheduled narcotic there is no capital exposure (non-DP).
- If prescribed / medical
- Nitrous oxide is a lawful medical/anaesthetic gas and food additive; medical and culinary supply is standard.
- Documentation
- Food-grade and medical nitrous oxide are lawful; recreational retail supply is restricted where local ordinances apply.
cdn.who.int · Updated July 14, 2026
Oxycodone
- Legal status
- Oxycodone is a narcotic under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act — a marketed strong-opioid analgesic.
- Consequences if caught
- Unlawful possession up to 7 years; import without a licence up to 10 years or more.
- If prescribed / medical
- Prescribed as a controlled narcotic analgesic by a designated narcotics-handling physician.
- Documentation
- TRAVELLER TRAP: even with a foreign prescription, oxycodone needs an advance narcotic import/export certificate from the Regional Narcotics Control Department (apply at least 14 days ahead).
ncd.mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 13, 2026
Pink Cocaine / Tusi
- Legal status
- Pink cocaine (tusi) is not scheduled as such; it is a variable mixture (typically ketamine + MDMA) prosecuted through its constituents — Japan controls ketamine as a narcotic (麻薬) under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act and prohibits MDMA, and the Act reaches any preparation containing a controlled substance. Because the blend varies batch to batch, exposure follows the most-severely-controlled detected component.
- Consequences if caught
- Possession, import and supply are criminal narcotics offences carrying imprisonment, charged by reference to whichever constituent (narcotic ketamine or prohibited MDMA) is detected.
- If prescribed / medical
- No lawful supply of the mixture; ketamine is a controlled medical narcotic administered under strict control, while MDMA has no marketed medical use.
- Documentation
- Sold as an unregulated party powder; because composition varies batch to batch, purchasers and travellers cannot know its constituents, so legal exposure under the Narcotics Control Act is unknowable at purchase.
ncd.mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 14, 2026
Poppers
- Legal status
- Poppers (alkyl nitrites) are effectively banned — isobutyl nitrite (designated 28 February 2007), isopropyl nitrite, isopentyl nitrite and further alkyl nitrites are listed as Designated Substances (指定薬物) under the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Act (former Pharmaceutical Affairs Law), which prohibits their manufacture, import, sale, supply and possession except for medical or other legitimate use. No death penalty.
- Consequences if caught
- Handling alkyl nitrite poppers outside permitted uses is punishable by up to 3 years' imprisonment and/or a fine up to ¥3 million (up to 5 years / ¥5 million if done as a business).
- If prescribed / medical
- No consumer poppers market; designated-substance status leaves only strictly-controlled medical/scientific use.
- Documentation
- Do not carry or import alkyl nitrite poppers; they are seized as designated substances.
mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 14, 2026
Pregabalin
- Legal status
- Pregabalin is an ordinary prescription (ethical) medicine under the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Act and is NOT listed as a narcotic or psychotropic under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act — like gabapentin, it is dispensed as an ordinary prescription medicine.
- Consequences if caught
- Unauthorised supply is a medicines-law offence; it is not handled under the narcotics-control penalties.
- If prescribed / medical
- Prescribed as an ordinary prescription-only medicine.
- Documentation
- Up to roughly a one-month personal supply is generally allowed; carry the prescription and check whether a Yakkan Shoumei is needed for larger amounts.
mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 14, 2026
Quetiapine
- Legal status
- Quetiapine is a prescription medicine (shohosen-iyakuhin) and a poison-designation drug (gekiyaku), not a controlled drug: Seroquel (serokueru) is approved by the PMDA/MHLW under the Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Act and is not listed under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act.
- Consequences if caught
- Quetiapine carries no narcotics-control penalty; supply outside the prescription channel is a pharmaceuticals-law matter only.
- If prescribed / medical
- Prescribed as an atypical antipsychotic for schizophrenia, with an extended-release form (Bipresso) for bipolar depression; dispensed only on prescription.
- Documentation
- Quetiapine's approval and product information are documented on the PMDA register; dispensed as a prescription medicine and carried lawfully with a prescription.
pmda.go.jp · Updated July 14, 2026
Salvia divinorum
- Legal status
- Controlled. NAMED: Salvia divinorum (the plant) and salvinorin A are Designated Substances (指定薬物) under the Pharmaceutical Affairs / PMD Act, designated in 2007 in the first cohort of the designated-substance system. Mechanism: NAMED (plant + active salvinorin A).
- Consequences if caught
- Manufacture, import, sale and possession of salvia for consumption are prohibited under the designated-substance regime and prosecuted; salvia products were withdrawn from head-shop sale after the 2007 designation.
- If prescribed / medical
- Salvia divinorum and salvinorin A are designated substances with no medical use and no lawful prescription route.
- Documentation
- No lawful personal-import route; salvia leaf/extract is seized on import as a designated substance.
mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 14, 2026
Scopolamine (Devil's Breath)
- Legal status
- Scopolamine (hyoscine) is a pharmaceutical, not a narcotic: scopolamine hydrobromide and scopolamine butylbromide (Buscopan) are approved under the Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Act (PMDA/MHLW) and are not listed under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act.
- Consequences if caught
- Scopolamine carries no narcotics-control penalty; supply outside the approved pharmaceutical channel is a pharmaceuticals-law matter only.
- If prescribed / medical
- Prescription Buscopan (scopolamine butylbromide) is dispensed for spasm and an OTC 'Buscopan A' version is sold in pharmacies; scopolamine hydrobromide is used clinically (premedication).
- Documentation
- Scopolamine/butylscopolamine products are PMDA-approved pharmaceuticals; travellers carry the medicine lawfully with documentation.
pmda.go.jp · Updated July 14, 2026
Synthetic Cannabinoids (K2 / Spice)
- Legal status
- Controlled as a class. Japan introduced generic (comprehensive) scheduling of naphthoylindole-type synthetic cannabinoids as Designated Substances (Shitei-Yakubutsu) under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law in March 2013, capturing 772 synthetic cannabinoids at once by structural class; the most harmful compounds are additionally controlled as narcotics under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act.
- Consequences if caught
- Illegal; possession, import and supply carry imprisonment under strict enforcement. No death penalty.
- If prescribed / medical
- These synthetic cannabinoids have no recognised medical use and no lawful prescription route in Japan.
- Documentation
- No lawful personal-import route for controlled synthetic cannabinoids; strict customs enforcement, do not carry.
unodc.org · Updated July 14, 2026
THC-P
- Legal status
- THC-P (tetrahydrocannabiphorol) is a Designated Substance (指定薬物, shitei-yakubutsu) under the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Act — the MHLW named THC-P in the 2023 cannabinoid wave that designated THCV, THCB, THCH, THC-P and THCjd, prohibiting non-medical handling. This is separate from cannabis (prohibited) and from the Cannabis Control Act's THC rules. No death penalty.
- Consequences if caught
- Manufacture, import, sale, possession and use of a designated substance outside permitted uses are punishable by up to 3 years' imprisonment and/or a fine up to ¥3 million (up to 5 years / ¥5 million if done as a business).
- If prescribed / medical
- No consumer or medical market; designated-substance status leaves only strictly controlled medical/scientific use.
- Documentation
- Do not carry or import THC-P vapes, edibles or distillate; they are seized as designated substances.
mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 14, 2026
Tramadol
- Legal status
- Tramadol is an ordinary prescription (ethical) medicine under the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Act and is generally NOT listed as a narcotic under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act — its non-narcotic status is left to confirmation with MHLW.
- Consequences if caught
- Unauthorised supply is a medicines-law offence; it is not handled under the narcotics-control penalties.
- If prescribed / medical
- Prescribed as an ordinary prescription-only medicine.
- Documentation
- Up to roughly a one-month personal supply is generally allowed without a narcotic certificate; carry the prescription and check whether a Yakkan Shoumei is needed for larger amounts.
ncd.mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 13, 2026
Xanax (Alprazolam)
- Legal status
- Alprazolam is a Schedule IV psychotropic under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act.
- Consequences if caught
- Unlicensed import over the certificate-free limit is a drug-control offence (seizure and possible prosecution).
- If prescribed / medical
- Prescribed as a controlled psychotropic medicine.
- Documentation
- No Yakkan Shoumei import certificate is needed for a non-injection personal supply at or below the tabled ceiling (alprazolam ~72 mg of active ingredient); above that, or for injectable forms, obtain the certificate before arrival.
ncd.mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 13, 2026
Xylazine
- Legal status
- Xylazine (キシラジン) is regulated in Japan as a veterinary medicine: xylazine injectables are approved animal drugs listed in the MAFF/NVAL veterinary-medicinal-products database and classified as a prescription-direction drug (要指示医薬品) and powerful drug (劇薬); it is not listed under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act.
- Consequences if caught
- Supply of xylazine outside veterinary channels is a pharmaceuticals/veterinary-medicines-law matter, not a narcotics-control offence, as it is not a scheduled human controlled drug.
- If prescribed / medical
- Dispensed on a veterinarian's instruction (要指示) for sedation/analgesia in cattle and other animals; xylazine has no authorised human medical use.
- Documentation
- Xylazine products (e.g. キシラジン「第一」, キシラジン注2％「フジタ」) are registered in the MAFF/NVAL animal-drug database.
vm.nval.go.jp · Updated July 14, 2026
Zolpidem
- Legal status
- Zolpidem is a designated psychotropic under Japan's Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Law, transposing its 1971 Convention Schedule IV status; over-the-counter sale is prohibited and it is dispensed only on prescription at registered pharmacies.
- Consequences if caught
- Unauthorised handling or supply of this scheduled psychotropic is an offence under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Law, with electronic record-keeping to curb diversion.
- If prescribed / medical
- Zolpidem is prescribed short-term for insomnia as a controlled psychotropic hypnotic.
- Documentation
- A traveller carrying prescribed zolpidem needs a doctor's certificate if the total exceeds 300 mg, and an import confirmation (yakkan shoumei) if more than a one-month supply.
ncd.mhlw.go.jp · Updated July 14, 2026
Not individually verified
For these 27 substances the governing national drug law is cited, but we have not verified that the substance specifically is scheduled under it. Treat them as unanswered, not as legal. Confirm with Japan’s drug authority or your embassy.
1P-LSD
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated July 14, 2026
2-FDCK
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated July 14, 2026
2C-B
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated June 25, 2026
2C-E
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated July 14, 2026
2C-I
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated June 25, 2026
2C-T-7
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated June 25, 2026
4-AcO-DMT
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated July 14, 2026
4-HO-MET
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated July 14, 2026
Amanita muscaria
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated July 14, 2026
Amyl Nitrite
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated July 14, 2026
Ayahuasca
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated July 14, 2026
Caffeine
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated July 14, 2026
DMT
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated June 25, 2026
Fentanyl
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated June 25, 2026
Gabapentin
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated July 14, 2026
GBL
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated July 14, 2026
GHB
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated June 25, 2026
LSA (Morning Glory)
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated July 14, 2026
LSD
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated June 25, 2026
Mescaline
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated June 25, 2026
Methaqualone (Quaaludes)
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated July 14, 2026
Nicotine
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated July 14, 2026
PCP
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated June 25, 2026
Peyote
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated June 25, 2026
Phenibut
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated July 14, 2026
Psilocybin
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated June 25, 2026
Tobacco
- Legal status
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / Narcotics Control Department
- Consequences if caught
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- If prescribed / medical
- Not confirmed — verify with Japan's MHLW / NCD.
- Documentation
- Carry any prescription medicine in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm with Japan's MHLW/NCD before travel. This substance is not specifically confirmed by a reachable source.
Updated July 14, 2026
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary by country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with the destination’s embassy or official drug authority before traveling; penalties can be severe, including imprisonment.
Before you travel
Verify current rules with the destination country’s official drug authority and your own country’s embassy before traveling. Find the destination’s U.S. embassy & official country guidance →
Non-U.S. travelers: check your own government’s travel advisory and embassy.
If you’re detained or arrested abroad
Contact your own country’s embassy or consulate in the destination immediately — not the destination’s authorities. U.S. citizens: contact the nearest U.S. embassy/consulate and the U.S. State Department at +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad). If a U.S. citizen is arrested or detained abroad →