Is Khat legal in Japan?
- 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 or 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.
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with Japan’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 →