Hey fellow travellers,
I’ve noticed there has been quite a bit of discussion on Reddit around bringing ADHD medications to Japan, and especially Vyvanse as the rules have changed many times.
I’m heading to Japan on Saturday and received my permission to bring my Vyvanse with me, and wanted to recap the process for anyone else who is wondering how they can get permission to do the same.
Firstly, I followed the procedure [on this website](https://www.ncd.mhlw.go.jp/en/application.html).
The first (and most important) step is to check the controlled substances list on the site and identify under which classification your medication falls. Vyvanse (as at Jan 2023) is classified as ‘stimulant raw materials’, and so you can select the import/export forms for this category and fill it out. The sample forms are very helpful! You need a letter from your doctor and photos of the medication packaging. It is a good idea to apply for both import and export, so you can take your leftover meds home with you.
Fill out the form, scan it and all your accompanying documents and send it to the Narcotics Control office at the city you will be arriving in (in most cases this will be Tokyo) via email. I would recommend allowing at least 3 weeks.
After a while, they will email your permit. Just bring it with you and declare your medication at Customs and you’ll be good to go!
Once the permit is issued they will ask you to mail the original form and letter from your doctor, so remember to hold onto these and take them with you to Japan.
**Some important caveats:**
• This information may change at short notice.
• You need to apply for permission to bring even a small amount of Vyvanse.
• This only applies to Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine). Dextroamphetamine and Adderall are still banned and you will be arrested if found in possession.
• Do your own research and don’t rely solely on this information!
Hope this helps!
Edit: mobile formatting
6 comments
Thank you, this is really helpful! I’m headed to Japan at the end of March and wanted to take my Elvanse (European brand name for Vyvanse) with me. I just went and fished the packaging out of my recycling bin.
Thanks for this! I hadn’t even thought about my prescription being an issue. I checked that link and luckily I will be okay taking my lorazepam without a special form.
It’s interesting what you can bring if you get permission. I got permission in 2015 to being what was essentially vicodin thanks to that process (I had just had major surgery on my right elbow involving getting a ton if hardware implanted, and was in an immobilizer doing my own physical therapy.) But man, what an intetesting trip that made for lol.
Huh, THC from Cannabis is totally banned but synthesised THC is not.
Thanks for this! I just submitted my forms and they said they’ll be emailing me my permit shortly for my march trip.
So to clarify, you have to mail them the original form you filled out and scanned as well as the doctors note? Is the only form you bring with you at customs the permit?
Does anyone know how difficult it is to buy paracetamol/ Tylenol in Japan? I can easily just bring some but if it’s easy to buy I would just pick some up there.