Request to people coming to Japan（英語）
Contents
It is illegal to bring fruits, vegetables, etc. and meat and meat products into Japan
The bringing of fruits, vegetables, etc. and meat and meat products into Japan is strictly regulated by Japan’s laws, and many of such items cannot be brought in. Illegally bringing fruits, vegetables, etc. and meat and meat products into Japan can result in penalties such as imprisonment of up to three years or a fine of up to 3 million yen (up to 50 million yen for business entities).
- The police will be notified if it is assessed that such items were maliciously brought in.
- There are people who were arrested for illegally bringing in such items.
Things that cannot be brought into Japan
Fruits, vegetables, etc.
It is prohibited to bring in most fruits, vegetables, etc.
In addition, even for plants (seedlings, seeds, grains, beans, etc.) that are not prohibited, a phytosanitary certificate issued by a government agency of the exporting country is required.
Other than plants, please note that the bringing in of soil is also prohibited, and there are certain live insects that cannot be brought in.
In-flight meals containing fresh fruits and vegetables also cannot be brought in. Therefore, please consume in-flight meals onboard the aircraft and do not bring leftovers and such when you alight.
Examples of fruits and vegetables that cannot be brought in
Mangoes, longans, guavas, lychees, red peppers, citrus fruits, pears, apples, in-flight meals (sandwiches, cut fruits, etc.)
Meat and meat products
In principle, meat and meat products cannot be brought into Japan.
Besides products where meat is the main ingredient, such as cured ham, sausages, salami, bacon, and jerky, products that use any meat at all cannot be brought in, including meat buns, dumplings, hamburgers, ham sandwiches, and gimbap. There is no exception even for products that are vacuum packed, cooked, sold at airport duty-free shops, or labeled in Japanese. In-flight meals containing meat products also cannot be brought in. Therefore, please consume in-flight meals onboard the aircraft and do not bring leftovers and such when you alight.
Examples of meat and meat products that cannot be brought in
Raw meat, jerky, dried meat, cured and uncured ham, sausages, salami, bacon, cooked meat, meat buns, dumplings containing meat, chicken feet, ham sandwiches, hamburgers, gimbap, meat floss, in-flight meals, etc.
Reasons for prohibition
Prohibitions are in place to prevent the entry of pests that are harmful to plants and livestock diseases into Japan from overseas.
Outside Japan, these are outbreaks of pests and diseases that cause severe damage to plants, such as the oriental fruit fly and fire blight. As they may be brought into Japan through fruits, vegetables, etc., in principle, it is prohibited to bring in fruits, vegetables, etc. that may carry such pests and diseases.
In addition, outside Japan, there are outbreaks of livestock diseases that have never occurred in Japan, including foot-and-mouth disease and African swine fever (ASF). It is known that these diseases are transmitted through meat and meat products, and several actual cases of infectious livestock diseases being spread to faraway countries through meat have been reported. Therefore, the bringing in of meat and meat products is prohibited in principle.
Things to note
Please note that, regardless of quantity or whether for commercial or individual use, all fruits, vegetables, etc. as well as meat and meat products brought in as cargo, personal baggage, or international mail are subject to regulation.
Furthermore, as mentioned above, there are outbreaks of various infectious livestock diseases—such as African swine fever—outside Japan. There is a possibility that livestock pathogens are brought into Japan attached to clothes and shoes when you touch livestock or step on farm soil. Before traveling to Japan, please avoid visiting facilities that rear livestock, markets that sell live animals, and other such places. If you touch livestock or visit farms before traveling to Japan, please drop by the Animal Quarantine counter when you arrive in Japan to disinfect your shoes and clothes.
Inspection upon arrival
At airports, seaports, and post offices, there are plant and animal quarantine inspectors that check if prohibited items and such are brought in through personal baggage and mail. Besides inspectors asking questions about the bringing in of prohibited items and such, quarantine detector dogs are also used to find prohibited items through smell. Your cooperation is sought as you may be asked to show the contents of your baggage or mail for inspection purposes.
Please also understand that time may be needed for inspection because there are occasions when passport and boarding pass information is recorded as part of the inspection procedure.
You are also requested to inform your families, friends, and other people around you that fruits, vegetables, meat, and meat products cannot be brought into Japan and that it is prohibited to send such items via international mail and such to people in Japan
Other useful information
- Bringing animal products into Japan from overseas(by baggage, international parcels)
- Bringing plants into Japan
- You must not bring any meat products, vegetables or fruits into Japan.(PDF:616KB)
