Question about shipping legal OTC medications to Japa

Hello! I’m departing soon for a six-month stay in Japan, and I use two OTC medications that are not illegal in Japan but are not sold in retail stores there. Ordering them from Japan would mean getting them shipped them from overseas for a high price, so I would prefer to bring/ship my own. I know that I can bring a 2-month supply with me on the plane; for the rest, before I depart I want to send two boxes to myself, each with an additional 2-month supply.

My question is, the 2-month-supply rule is only for how much you are importing in any one trip or shipment, right? Does anyone know if customs would, say, receive one package with a 2-month supply of a medication, and let it through but note it, then refuse a second package with similar contents to the same address a day or two later? I won’t send the two boxes together but maybe a day apart. Could this cause any trouble? Thanks!

1 comment
  1. Can I ask where you looked up whether the OTC medications are legal in Japan?

    I’m looking at a similar issue with needing twice daily esomeprazole (Nexium) pretty much to have any quality of life at all. It appears OTC PPIs are only by-prescription in Japan, so I would not have access unless I can bring some with me.

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