Job Discussion Forums

ocyrion · Joined: 20 Oct 2004 Posts: 20 Location: Chiba, Japan

Hey all,

Probably a bit of a strange question, but I've heard mixed reports about what toothpastes and cold and flu tablets are legal to bring in and use in Japan.

For example:

Cold and flu tablets with pseudoephedrine
Nurofen
Flouride toothpastes
Anti-perspirant deodorants
Over the counter sleeping tablets

Are these all legal?

Cheers!

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Fluoride toothpaste illegal? Please tell us where you found that horrendously incorrect information. It is widely available here in any store that sells it, from mom & pop shops to Costco. Lion brand is the most popular (just be aware that Xylident does not have fluoride).

Anti-perspirants illegal? Again, who told you this? An American product, Ban, has fairly recently been introduced, along with a few others. Granted, people say it's not as strong as the American equivalent, and that many people here don't use such products, but it is NOT an illegal product.

Sleeping pills (according to my J wife) require a prescription, but you can buy pills over the counter that provide a weaker sleep-inducing effect. Sorry, I don't know any brand names.

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Good grief! Illegal? Like Glenski said, where on earth did you ever hear that??? Japan is still a (somewhat) civilized country.

However.... Japanese anti-perspirants/deodorants, although commonly available, suck... Plus they are mostly the spray-on type.... I hate that -- too cold in the a.m.

Cold tablets: In Japan you can get REAL "Contac C" which is awesome -- cause it's the old-fashioned kind that you USED to be able to get in Canada before the gov't banned the main active ingredient and it went to hell... You can also get stuff you can't back home.. For instance here, instead of cough syrup you can get pills -- they're da bomb!

As for toothpastes, I had to get a Japanese friend to show me what to look for on the box to indicate whether it contains fluoride. It"s about 50/50 but if you want to be on the safe side, Aqua Fresh is commonly available in many stores and many import-shops carry Colgate but it's a bit more expensive.

ocyrion · Joined: 20 Oct 2004 Posts: 20 Location: Chiba, Japan

Haha, yeah they seemed like stupid questions - so thanks for clarifying that for me! I'm sure I read somewhere on here that cold/flu tablets with pseudoephedrine were illegal, and given that the Japanese are tough on drugs I thought I'd make sure.

Mike L. · Joined: 28 Feb 2003 Posts: 519

Bring lot's of ibuprofine, the most important invention of all time for some of us anyways, as you''ll need a prescription for that.

Sherri · Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 7:15 am Post subject:

You don't need a prescription for ibuprofin! It's easily available. I used to buy "Eve" but there are other cheaper "no name" brands.

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Mike: Sorry, but I have to correct that... Wink

Ibuprofin is the active ingredient in headdache drugs like Advil or Motrin. Ibuprofen is over-the-counter in Japan... But it's expensive, and IMO, Motrin's more effective than the local brands anyway. Bring it with you if you think you may need some.

Aspirin and related products are OK.... Bufferin seems to be the most popular...

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) seems to be completely out! Even though J&J and Takeda Chemical announced a joint venture to release the product in Japan in 2000, I've never seen it sold in any store. So, bring this with you too, I'd say.

If it helps any, here is some additional info I found.

From a Japanese embassy website: http://www.seattle.us.emb-japan.go.jp/English/FAQ/faq.htm

5. Are there any non-prescription drugs that I can buy over the counter in the United States but are barred from importation to Japan?

The following over-the-counter medications are prohibited in Japan since they contain narcotic or stimulant ingredients in excess of the Japanese standard:

*

TYLENOL COLD
*

NYQUIL
*

NYQUIL LIQUICAPS
*

ACTIFED
*

SUDAFED
*

ADVIL COLD & SINUS
*

DRISTAN COLD/"NO DROWSINESS"
*

DRISTAN SINUS
*

DRIXORAL SINUS
*

VICKS INHALER
*

LOMOTIL

David W · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 457 Location: Japan

As I understand you're not meant to have codeine based pills but I always bring some back with me and have never been stopped. I'm sure the customs boys and girls have bigger fish to fry.

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Actually, ironically enough, I'm sure I remember reading that you can buy codeine pills in a Japanese pharmacy.... but I believe it's high levels of the ephedrine derivatives that really sets them off....

I'll see if I can find that article about codeine in Japan again.

SA_Massive · Joined: 22 Apr 2004 Posts: 26 Location: Aust

I am bringing some prescription anti-inflammatory pills for a bad back. I have been advised to get a written letter from my doctor or risk losing them to customs. Do you people think this is necessary?