Princess Japan Cruises - dealing with Japanese restriction on bringing mediations

This will be our first trip to Japan. We will be traveling for almost 50 days, and so will be traveling with meds in excess of 30 day supplies including prescription drugs and a psychotropic med. Those of you who have experience obtaining the necessary pre-authorization - would you be so kind as to share your experience and expertise.

This is going to be a significant task for me, as I have to manage a chronic illness while traveling. Your assistance advice and experience will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Um, yes, the title should have read medications......

We just got back and my dh had narcotics. We did not apply with the paperwork till late, so we faxed and then had to send originals by air mail, that cost 60 or 70 dollars

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Don't forget you need a certificate for each time you enter and leave japan, that said they only really looked at it closely when we arrived and when we did immigration following s korea and when we exited the ship.

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Don't forget you need a certificate for each time you enter and leave japan, that said they only really looked at it closely when we arrived and when we did immigration following s korea and when we exited the ship.

 

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So then the quantities listed would be less than the amounts listed, I guess that was not an issue? But you had to carry the paperwork with you - good to know. Thanks.

I'm also starting to think about medications for our September Japan cruise, also take psychotropics (Lyrica) but we're there for less than 30 days, which should make things easier. I'm mostly worried about flying home, as I take decongestant tablets before flying to help with an inner ear problem, and they're totally banned in Japan.

I'm also starting to think about medications for our September Japan cruise, also take psychotropics (Lyrica) but we're there for less than 30 days, which should make things easier. I'm mostly worried about flying home, as I take decongestant tablets before flying to help with an inner ear problem, and they're totally banned in Japan.

I believe the ban on decongestants is only for products that contain over 10% pseudoephedrine. Check your label as your medication "may" be legal in Japan after all.

We just got back and my dh had narcotics. We did not apply with the paperwork till late, so we faxed and then had to send originals by air mail, that cost 60 or 70 dollars

 

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To whom do we fax and mail the paperworks?

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I'm also starting to think about medications for our September Japan cruise, also take psychotropics (Lyrica) but we're there for less than 30 days, which should make things easier. I'm mostly worried about flying home, as I take decongestant tablets before flying to help with an inner ear problem, and they're totally banned in Japan.

Perhaps your physician can suggest an alternative, such as enough Benadryl (I believe the tablet size is limited to 10 mg. in Japan - I am going to have to try and find some that small) or another decongestant which is not banned. I have looked and I think we are ok with Loratadine. Sure hope so because I rely on that when allergy symptoms hit during the day.

We fill out the paperwork to be a qty of 20 tab or less

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Benadryl and loratidine are antihistamines, not decongestants. Sudafed is a decongestant. ;)

Thanks for starting this thread. I am prescribed two drugs that are on the banned list. Guess Japan is not in our future.

Question...I am not on a cruise going here but it is on a bucket list. My dumb question is why does it matter to Japan what meds you have on board? Wouldn't these meds be kept on the ship and not on your person when you are in port for the day..I mean at least in the quantities you are saying are banned?

Thanks for starting this thread. I am prescribed two drugs that are on the banned list. Guess Japan is not in our future.

I just looked at the list and I take one of the drugs to sleep. I went to Japan with it and didn't know any different. Thankfully no one asked.

Question...I am not on a cruise going here but it is on a bucket list. My dumb question is why does it matter to Japan what meds you have on board? Wouldn't these meds be kept on the ship and not on your person when you are in port for the day..I mean at least in the quantities you are saying are banned?

First, I personally am not saying anything is banned, it is the info on the websites that has my attention. And the problem is not having them with me on the ship. The issue for me is getting from the Japanese airport to the ship, and then back off the ship before going to the airport.

I am wondering about the paperwork when it comes to "re-entering" Japan after a port call in South Korea, et al, too, as I would not be taking any banned drug or any OTC item ashore in enough quantity to be an issue. Clearly, a couple of pain relievers going ashore and coming back on the ship is just not an issue, as long as they are not narcotics, which I cannot take anyway. That part is pretty confusing.

I just looked at the list and I take one of the drugs to sleep. I went to Japan with it and didn't know any different. Thankfully no one asked.

When I looked at the quantity of sleeping meds allowed without the special paperwork, and did the math, turns out I can take all I need for the duration of our trip without having to worry about those. It is the "over 30 days" of other prescription meds, which are non-narcotic, etc., that seem to still require the paperwork. Grrrrr.......no visa needed as long as we show them a ticket home, but blood pressure meds are going to have to be cleared since we will be there and traveling for about 50 days, instead of under 30.

First, I personally am not saying anything is banned, it is the info on the websites that has my attention. And the problem is not having them with me on the ship. The issue for me is getting from the Japanese airport to the ship, and then back off the ship before going to the airport.

 

I am wondering about the paperwork when it comes to "re-entering" Japan after a port call in South Korea, et al, too, as I would not be taking any banned drug or any OTC item ashore in enough quantity to be an issue. Clearly, a couple of pain relievers going ashore and coming back on the ship is just not an issue, as long as they are not narcotics, which I cannot take anyway. That part is pretty confusing.

Ah I see now. I thought that Japan was just a port of call not that you were starting there. I guess I was thinking more world cruise with a stop there vs starting and/or ending there. Makes sense and I for one never would have thought of such an issue. Learn something new everyday.

Learned something new on my last cruise the hard way as well. Brought home some local fudge from Bermuda (it was delish). We of course put it in the carryon with all souvenirs our bag was flagged and spent lots of extra time at security. We were asked if it were our bag, said yes, asked did anyone have access to it, said no. We were then told to unlock it and step away and in NO WAY allowed to touch it or the table once opened. He proceeded to go through our stuff and at one point I almost broke the rule as he started to pull out a souvenir towel I had wrapped around some frames..i jumped forward and stopped myself...and said wait that has breakable things wrapped in it...he was then careful. Found nothing, but cut open the box with the fudge, rubbed cloth over the box put the box itself in some unit...all tests came back fine cause it was just fudge.....duh who why didn't I think that a box of fudge would look like c4 or something in a bag...lesson learned. Folks back home are now getting key chains for a souvenir...:p

Hello, I believe or hope we are in the last stage of getting "Yakkan Shoumei" permission for my wife's narcotic pain reliever. After reading many internet comments, I emailed a list of all our meds to Japan and received a reply that only the one prescription needed pre-approval. We filled out the online form, obtained her doctor's note/prescription letter, and emailed them. This reply was forwarded to the department overseeing our arrival airport, Kansai Intl. in Osaka, and the official there sent a simpler form for us to fill out and return. This was done via email and he said the permission would be approved and sent to us upon receipt of the original forms (one for import, one for any unused pills for export, and the doctor's letter) which we have mailed. He also asked for an email photo of the prescription package (apparently, in Japan meds are sold in blister paks, but I sent him a photo of the pill bottle and he was happy with that).

I suppose many or most people aren't aware of this strict policy and get through Japanese Customs without incident. We didn't want to take a chance, but now of course, when my wife's passport is scanned they will ask for the certificate and probably inspect the pill bottle to make sure there are only the approved amount of pills.

I find this thread very interesting.

Friend of mine and I sailed from Hong Kong to Tokyo. Never once did anyone ask us about drugs, even though we disembarked in Tokyo for the flight home.

That said, can someone please post the link to the drug list. My husband and I are considering a Japan cruise and he takes a lot of meds.

Thanks to all for the information. Point of clarification - For those medications that require a certificate, does the need for a certificate and or doctor's prescription apply to any quantity or just a supply of 30 or more? If less than 30, where might one find a list by generic name not chemical component names of those medications? Thanks very much.

I am not planning a trip to Japan, yet I found this thread really interesting. Here is a link to the basic information on Japan's Ministry of Health website, with a clickable link to a PDF chart that might be a list of drugs?

http://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/policy/health-medical/pharmaceuticals/01.html

I am not planning a trip to Japan, yet I found this thread really interesting. Here is a link to the basic information on Japan's Ministry of Health website, with a clickable link to a PDF chart that might be a list of drugs?

http://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/policy/health-medical/pharmaceuticals/01.html

Thank you

I flew into Singapore last year. They have very strict laws for drugs, some prescription, some not. I went on the page for obtaining permission to bring the drugs into the country. I sent them all the information they required plus my cruise itinerary and told them how long I would be out of the US and how much of each drug I needed. I was able to scan and email this all to their drug department and I was given permission for all my drugs and for more days than they normally do, because I was on a 92 day cruise in less than a week. Years ago I did this for Japan and also found them easy to deal with as long as you filled out everything, and send them all the information. Good Luck.

I'm glad I read this thread because I do have a question or two about the medications.

Weill be in Japan for 2 weeks.

Is Sudafed not allow? That would be a problem for me when flying home because that helps me with my ears problems. I usually just bring a few.

What about heart pressure or cholesterol medication? My parents take those everyday.

My mom has heart valves surgery a few years ago and she's taking medication for that. Do I need to send this information to someone?

Thank you.

Danny

I flew into Singapore last year. They have very strict laws for drugs, some prescription, some not. I went on the page for obtaining permission to bring the drugs into the country. I sent them all the information they required plus my cruise itinerary and told them how long I would be out of the US and how much of each drug I needed. I was able to scan and email this all to their drug department and I was given permission for all my drugs and for more days than they normally do, because I was on a 92 day cruise in less than a week. Years ago I did this for Japan and also found them easy to deal with as long as you filled out everything, and send them all the information. Good Luck.

OK, you had formal permission to take your meds into the country.

Did they ever ask you about your meds when you arrived in Singapore?

Question...I am not on a cruise going here but it is on a bucket list. My dumb question is why does it matter to Japan what meds you have on board? Wouldn't these meds be kept on the ship and not on your person when you are in port for the day..I mean at least in the quantities you are saying are banned?

In Short, no it doesn't matter at all. We visited Japan 3 times last year but only once on a ship. Both times with more than 30 days of medications, e cigarettes with liquid nicotine, no forms needed to fill out. So this is weeks in the country and not on a ship, I have doubts the Japanese authorities would care so much about us let alone some cruisers.