#administrative

Medical substances are under heavy scrutiny, to avoid traffic of narcotics. As such, you should check if the medicine you take is admissible in Japan. Disclaimer I'm not an expert !!! I'm simply sharing my experience along with useful links so you (and future me) can find information quickly. For in-depth explantions, check the government website and Narcotic Control website

First, you'll need to find the molecule name of your medicine. It should be on the box, or you can ask your practitioner about it.

I will take ADHD meds as an example throughout this post : for me in EU, it's Methylphenidate, for people in USA it might be Amphetamine or Methamphetamine (ADDERALL or others).

Second, check the list of controlled substances. If it's not on the list, then the gov website should tell you how much you can bring without prior authorization. Read thoroughly ! If it *is* on the list, you probably will have to apply, or it may be prohibited entirely. Take note of the category it belongs to (N, SRM, P, O, etc)

Here I see that Methylphenidate is listed as Psychotropic : I will need to apply for authorization

Amphetamine and Methamphetamine are listed as Stimulant : you CANNOT bring it under any circumstances !! The checkmark on the side means it's prohibited

If your medicine is on the list of controlled substances : find the relevant application form on the Narcotic Control website from before, minding which category it is listed under (Narcotics/SRM or Psychotropics). Some may require additional checks

Methylphenidate is a Psychotropic : I need to check an additional table. It tells me that under 2.16g, I do not need certificate or permission

However, I will be bringing months of supply for my long stay. The website tells me I need to send an email, and have a certificate from my GP. So I'll add that to my TODO list !

If it was not on the list, then head back to the general gov website and apply there if relevant.

All in all, doing all that will probably take at least two weeks bare minimum, so I'd recommend doing it a full month in advance, or even earlier !! You might have additional steps in your country to get all your medicine in the first place. In my case, I started the process a bit more than two months before my flight.

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