Systems and Procedures

About the Tax-free program

  • 1 At certain shops, by following specific procedures for all items, you can purchase items without having to pay Japan's consumption tax.
  • 2 In order to qualify for tax-free purchases, you must be an out-of-country traveler or other temporary resident of Japan.
  • 3 To purchase items tax-free, you must present a passport or similar identification at the store.
General Goods

  • Examples: Household electronics, bags, shoes, timepieces, jewelry, clothing, handicrafts

  • Purchases over 5,000 yen excluding tax. You may not combine the amount spent with consumable items.

  • If the total purchase amount exceeds 1 million yen, we will make a copy of your passport or other permit.

Target Items
Target Monetary Amount
Precautions
Consumables

  • Examples: Makeup, food, ingredients, alcohol, medicine, tobacco products.

  • Purchases over 5,000 yen and under 500,000 yen excluding tax. You may not combine the amount spent with general goods.

  • Items must be packed so that they cannot be used while in Japan. Please do not unpack them until you have left the country. If you do use them while in the country, you may be taxed upon your departure from the country. Please take the items out of Japan within 30 days from the time of purchase.

Target Monetary Amount
General Goods

Examples: Household electronics, bags, shoes, timepieces, jewelry, clothing, handicrafts

Consumables

Examples: Makeup, food, ingredients, alcohol, medicine, tobacco products.

Target Monetary Amount
General Goods

Purchases over 5,000 yen excluding tax. You may not combine the amount spent with consumable items.

Consumables

Purchases over 5,000 yen and under 500,000 yen excluding tax. You may not combine the amount spent with general goods.

Precautions
General Goods

If the total purchase amount exceeds 1 million yen, we will make a copy of your passport or other permit.

Consumables

Items must be packed so that they cannot be used while in Japan. Please do not unpack them until you have left the country. If you do use them while in the country, you may be taxed upon your departure from the country. Please take the items out of Japan within 30 days from the time of purchase.

Other Precautions
  1. You must take items that you purchased tax-free out of the country.
  2. Items bought for enterprise or sales purchases are not eligible for the tax-free program.
  3. Tax-free procedures are to be performed at the store of purchase. You may not combine items bought from another store to have Tax-free procedures performed.
  4. Tax-free procedures are to be performed on the date of purchase. You may not perform Tax-free procedures on any other day than the day you bought the item.

Tax-free Procedures

1

Do you want to shop tax-free?

Caution:
There may be some cases in which the tax-free procedures take some time. For more detailed information, please consult with the individual Tax-free shop.

2

Do you want all the goods purchased to be tax-free?

Caution:
For consumable products, if you are treating them as tax-free you must not use them within Japan.

NO

Please indicate the items you wish to treat as tax-free.

YES
3

Please present your passport or other permit.

Passport, crew landing permit, emergency landing permit, or distress landing permit.

NO

Please visit the store again and bring your passport or other permit next time.

YES
4

The store will provide the necessary information.

5

Receive duty-free goods

6

Please present your passport and other documents to customs upon departure.

Consumables must be packed so that they cannot be used while in Japan. Please do not unpack them until you have left the country. If you do use them while in the country, you may be taxed upon your departure from the country.

Individuals who may not shop tax-free
  • Individuals who do not have a stamp that can confirm the date they entered the country.
  • Individuals who have spent 6 months or more in the country since entering it.
  • Individuals employed within Japan.
  • Individuals who do not conform to the tax-free target value limits.