Japan Psychotropic Medication Limits: The Full Threshold Table
The full NCD threshold table for common psychotropics, and how to run the dose-times-days math against your own prescription.
You're trying to figure out exactly how much of your sleeping pill, anti-anxiety medication, or ADHD prescription you can carry into Japan without paperwork, and every site you find quotes a different number. This is the reference page: the official Narcotics Control Department threshold for each common psychotropic, in one table, plus the math to check your own supply against it.
The short answer
Each drug has its own threshold — there's no single numberJapan's psychotropic medication limits are set individually per drug by the Narcotics Control Department (NCD), not as one blanket figure. If your total non-injectable supply of a given psychotropic, added up for the whole trip, is at or under its listed threshold, you can carry it without an import certificate. Go over the threshold, bring an injectable form, or carry more than a one-month supply, and you need a doctor's certificate or a Yunyu Kakunin-sho (輸入確認書) — the import certificate, still commonly called 薬監証明 (Yakkan Shoumei) — arranged before you travel.
The official NCD threshold list
Total non-injectable amount allowed without a certificate| Medication (generic name) | Common brand | No-certificate threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Zolpidem | Ambien | 300 mg |
| Diazepam | Valium | 1.2 g |
| Methylphenidate | Ritalin, Concerta | 2.16 g |
| Alprazolam | Xanax | 72 mg |
| Clonazepam | Klonopin | 180 mg |
| Triazolam | — | 15 mg |
| Lorazepam | Ativan | 90 mg |
| Etizolam | — | 90 mg |
| Zopiclone | — | 300 mg |
| Modafinil | — | 6 g |
How to calculate your total against the threshold
Dose times days, then compareEvery threshold is a total milligram amount for your whole supply, not a daily cap. Multiply your prescribed dose by the number of days (or nights) of supply, then compare the total to the threshold for that specific drug.
- Find your prescribed dose per administration in milligrams (check the pharmacy label or your お薬手帳 medication notebook).
- Multiply by how many doses you take per day, then by the number of days of supply you're carrying.
- Compare the total to that drug's threshold in the table above — not to a threshold for a different drug with a similar use.
- If you're carrying more than one psychotropic, repeat the calculation separately for each one.
Worked example: alprazolam at 0.5 mg twice daily is 1 mg a day. Over a 60-day supply that's 60 mg total — under the 72 mg threshold. Extend the same prescription to 90 days and the total is 90 mg, over the line. The same arithmetic applies to any drug on the list; only the threshold changes.
What changes above the threshold, or if injectable
The math doesn't stop you from traveling — it tells you which process appliesBeing over a threshold, carrying an injectable form, or bringing more than a one-month supply doesn't mean you can't travel with your medication — it means the personal-import allowance no longer covers you automatically, and you need a certificate arranged in advance. Injectable psychotropics require a certificate regardless of quantity. Supplies over a one-month equivalent should go through the certificate desk even if the milligram total sits near a threshold.
Applying for the import certificate
The Yunyu Kakunin-sho is issued by MHLW through the online application portal at impconf.mhlw.go.jp, the default method since 1 July 2025. Apply at least 14 days before you travel — processing typically takes about 2-3 business days once your application is complete, but build in slack around Golden Week, Obon, or New Year. The Kanto-Shinetsu Regional Bureau (yakkan@mhlw.go.jp, +81-48-740-0800) covers Narita and Haneda; the Kinki Bureau (kiyakuji@mhlw.go.jp) covers Kansai, Chubu Centrair, Fukuoka, and Naha. For a full walkthrough, see the Yakkan Shoumei import certificate guide.
What to do before you travel
Check your numbers, then pick the right path- Identify the exact generic name of your medication.
Brand names vary; the threshold table is organized by generic name, so confirm what you're actually carrying.
- Calculate your total milligram supply for the trip.
Dose per administration, times doses per day, times days of supply.
- Compare against the threshold for that specific drug.
Use the table above; don't assume a similar drug shares the same number.
- Under the threshold and non-injectable: pack it in original packaging.
No certificate needed, but carry a copy of your prescription and a doctor's letter naming the drug, dosage, and reason for the trip.
- Over the threshold, injectable, or over a one-month supply: apply for a Yunyu Kakunin-sho.
Start the process at least 14 days before departure through MHLW's online portal.
If you run out after arriving, pharmacists cannot fill a prescription written outside Japan, so plan to see a doctor locally for anything ongoing. For drug-specific detail, see can you bring Xanax to Japan for alprazolam and can you bring Ambien to Japan for zolpidem. The health guide covers the surrounding import rules in full, and if you're relocating rather than visiting, moving to Japan walks through getting set up with insurance and a local doctor. Once you're here, the finder can help you locate a pharmacy with verified English-language support.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the questions people actually searchWhat is the psychotropic medication limit for Japan?
There's no single limit — each psychotropic has its own no-certificate threshold set by the Narcotics Control Department, ranging from 15 mg total for triazolam to 6 g for modafinil. Add up your total supply in milligrams and compare it to the figure for your specific drug.
Where can I find the official list of Japan psychotropic thresholds?
The Narcotics Control Department maintains the official figures, and MHLW's personal import guidance covers the surrounding rules. Many third-party sites misquote individual numbers, so when in doubt, verify against MHLW directly or through the import certificate application portal.
Do the thresholds apply per day or for the whole trip?
For the whole trip. Every figure in the table is a total milligram amount you're carrying, not a daily dose limit, so multiply your prescribed dose by the number of days of supply before comparing it to the threshold.
What happens if my medication is injectable?
The milligram thresholds only apply to non-injectable forms. Any injectable psychotropic requires a doctor's certificate and, above the personal-import allowance, an import certificate regardless of quantity.
Can I bring more than one psychotropic at a time?
Yes, but each drug is checked against its own threshold separately — there's no combined cap across different medications. Calculate your zolpidem total against 300 mg, your diazepam total against 1.2 g, and so on, independently.
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