You are mid-trip with a sore throat or an upset stomach, and you walk into a Japanese drugstore. The shelves are full, but some boxes are behind the counter, some sections are roped off after dark, and since May 1, 2026 some cold and cough medicines come with questions at the till. This guide explains the system behind it, from Japan’s health ministry and the law: the category printed on every box, who is allowed to sell what, why you may be asked your age, and why the medicine you take here is not tax-free.
This page is about the rules of the shop, not about which medicine to take; for that, ask the pharmacist. If you are bringing your own medicine into Japan, see our guide to bringing medication to Japan.
Japanese drugstore medicine at a glance
| Category (on the box) | Who can sell it | Explanation | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicine requiring guidance (yo-shido iyakuhin) | Pharmacist | Face-to-face, required | Out of reach |
| First-class (dai-ichi-rui iyakuhin) | Pharmacist only | In writing, required | Behind the counter or locked |
| Designated Second-class (2 in a frame) | Pharmacist or registered seller | Should be offered | Within 7 m of the counter |
| Second-class (dai-ni-rui iyakuhin) | Pharmacist or registered seller | Should be offered | Open shelves |
| Third-class (dai-san-rui iyakuhin) | Pharmacist or registered seller | Only if you ask | Open shelves |
From the pharmaceutical law and its regulations, read October 9, 2026. In every category, staff must answer if you ask.
The categories on Japanese medicine boxes
What are the categories?
Japan splits medicine you can buy without a prescription, which the ministry calls OTC medicine, into medicine requiring guidance and general-use medicine. General-use medicine has three classes by risk: First-class, which needs particular care; Second-class, with a designated group inside it that needs extra care; and Third-class, everything else. Medicine requiring guidance is mostly medicine that has recently moved from prescription-only to over-the-counter, the ministry explains, and a pharmacist must explain it face to face.
How do I read the label on the box?
The law fixes the wording. Look for the words dai-1-rui iyakuhin (First-class), dai-2-rui iyakuhin (Second-class) or dai-3-rui iyakuhin (Third-class), written in Japanese with the numeral as a figure. A 2 inside a frame, often printed as a circled 2, marks a designated Second-class medicine. The words yo-shido iyakuhin (requiring guidance) must be printed in a black frame in letters at least 8 points high. The labels are in Japanese only; the official sources set no duty to print them in other languages.
Why are some boxes not on the shelf?
Because the regulations say First-class medicine must be kept where shoppers cannot reach it: in a section customers cannot enter, or in a locked case. Designated Second-class medicine must sit within 7 m of the counter where staff give advice, and the classes may not be mixed on the shelves. The ministry also allows stores to display empty boxes or product cards instead of the real thing. So if you do not see it, it may still be sold; take the card to the counter, or ask.
Who can sell you medicine in a Japanese drugstore?
Pharmacists and registered sellers
Two kinds of staff can sell medicine. A pharmacist (yakuzaishi) can sell every class; a registered seller (toroku hanbaisha) can sell Second- and Third-class medicine but not First-class. The regulations require name badges that let you tell pharmacists, registered sellers and other staff apart, and a notice in the store explaining the badges and which staff are on duty.
What happens when I buy First-class medicine?
The pharmacist must explain it using a written document and first check the age of the person who will take it and what other medicine they use. You can say you do not need the explanation, but the law lets the pharmacist skip it only when they judge the medicine will be used properly. For Second-class medicine, staff should offer an explanation; for any class, if you ask a question, they must answer.
Why can’t I buy it at night?
The regulations say that during opening hours when a store is not selling medicine requiring guidance or First-class medicine, it must close off that section. Since only a pharmacist can sell First-class medicine, when no pharmacist is in, those boxes are out of bounds even if the shop is open. JNTO’s guide puts it plainly: some types of medicines cannot be purchased when the pharmacist is not there. A drugstore that stays open late may still have a shorter window for this medicine.
The 2026 rules on some cold and cough medicine in Japan
This is the change most English guides have not caught up with. On May 1, 2026, a revised pharmaceutical law took effect, and what used to be called “medicine at risk of misuse” became designated misuse-prevention medicine (shitei ranyo boshi iyakuhin), with tighter sales rules.
Which ingredients are covered?
A ministry notice lists eight ingredients, up from six: ephedrine, codeine, dihydrocodeine, diphenhydramine, dextromethorphan, pseudoephedrine, bromovalerylurea and methylephedrine. Ephedrine and methylephedrine are covered only in medicine taken by mouth, not in products applied to the body. Products made mainly from herbal ingredients are excluded. These ingredients turn up in some cold, cough, nasal and pain medicines; check the ingredient list on the box.
How do I spot them?
From May 2026, these products carry the words yo-kakunin (“check required”) in Japanese in a black frame on the side with the barcode, so staff see it at the till. Packs over a set size have the first character circled. There is a three-year transition, so older boxes without the label can still be on the shelves and follow the same rules.
What will staff ask me?
The ministry notice requires staff to check: your age; what other medicine you take; your name if you are under 18; whether you have bought this or a similar product, including at other stores; and, if you are buying a large pack or more than one, the reason. They must also give you information about the medicine, face to face or by video call; a phone call or chat does not count.
Will I need ID?
Possibly. The notice says that where staff cannot be sure from your appearance that you are 18 or over, they should, as far as possible, ask for ID or use registered membership details rather than rely on what you say. The Japan Association of Chain Drug Stores’ guidelines tell stores to post a notice that ID may be checked for large or multiple purchases. The official sources do not say how a foreign passport is handled, so carry it.
Can I buy more than one box?
Under 18, one small pack only; the ministry defines small as up to 5 days’ use, or 7 days for cold medicine and some others. From 18, you can buy a large pack or several, but staff must ask why and decide whether the amount is appropriate. Buying two different products with the same ingredient counts as more than one. The ministry’s Q&A gives taking medicine abroad on a long posting or trip as an example of a reason, but adds that the decision is still the pharmacist’s or seller’s. The law also says the medicine must not be sold where the required information cannot be given or proper use cannot be assured.
Can I order it online instead?
The same 2026 revision lets most medicine requiring guidance be sold online for the first time, after a pharmacist explains it through an online consultation, the ministry says. A narrow group called specified medicine requiring guidance still has to be sold in person. For a traveler with a hotel address and a few days left, the counter is the realistic route, and for the eight-ingredient medicines, the rules above apply whichever way you buy.
What you cannot buy at a Japanese drugstore
Medicine that the law designates as prescription medicine cannot be sold to anyone without a doctor’s prescription; a 2023 ministry document gives diabetes and heart medicines as examples. If you need one, the route JNTO describes is to see a doctor, take the prescription to a pharmacy, and pay for the medicine there separately; some clinics hand out medicine themselves. The official sources we read do not cover prescriptions written in other countries; ask the pharmacy or a clinic.
Rules on medicine you bring with you are separate. The ministry lets travelers bring prescription medicine for personal use up to one month’s supply, and most other medicine up to two months’, without applying for import confirmation (ministry page); our bringing medication guide covers the details.
Is drugstore medicine tax-free in Japan?
Medicine you take here is not
Tax-free shopping covers goods you take out of Japan. The National Tax Agency explains that consumables used in Japan, medicine included, cannot be confirmed by customs as exported, so they do not qualify. The box of cold medicine you open in your hotel is a normal taxed purchase.
What changes on November 1, 2026?
From November 1, 2026, Japan switches to a refund system: you pay the price including tax in the store, show your passport to customs when you leave within 90 days of buying, and get the tax back once customs confirms the goods are leaving. The 5,000-yen minimum for consumables is judged before tax. See our tax-free shopping guide; for one-stop shops that sell medicine alongside souvenirs, our Don Quijote guide.
Getting help at a Japanese drugstore
Who can I call?
JNTO’s Japan Visitor Hotline, 050-3816-2787, runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in English, Chinese and Korean. It helps in emergencies such as illness and can introduce medical institutions where you can consult in a foreign language. As a rule it does not interpret three-way or book on your behalf, so it will not talk to the drugstore for you.
Is there anything in English?
JNTO’s guide links to an English-only search for over-the-counter medicine by name, body part or effect, run by an industry database rather than the government. The Japan Pharmaceutical Association has made an English poster urging visitors to ask a pharmacist (poster page). A translation app on your phone, with a Japan eSIM, helps when you need to describe symptoms or answer the questions above.
Before you go to a Japanese drugstore
- Go while a pharmacist is on duty if you may need First-class medicine; ask at the counter.
- Carry your passport; you may be asked your age for some cold and cough medicines.
- Have a list of any medicine you already take; staff must ask.
- Buy one pack of anything labeled yo-kakunin (check required) unless you can explain why you need more.
- Do not expect tax-free on medicine you take in Japan.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy medicine without a prescription in Japan?
Why can’t I buy some medicine at night in Japan?
What does the number on a Japanese medicine box mean?
What does the label meaning ‘check required’ on a Japanese medicine box mean?
Will a Japanese drugstore ask for my ID?
Can I buy several boxes of cold medicine in Japan?
Is medicine tax-free in Japan?
Who can I call for help with medicine in Japan?
Bottom line (2026): Japanese drugstore medicine is sorted into classes printed on the box. First-class medicine is sold only by a pharmacist and is off limits when none is on duty. Since May 1, 2026, medicines with eight listed ingredients carry a “check required” label, and staff must ask your age, other medicines and the reason for buying more than one. Medicine used in Japan is not tax-free.
Sources
Every rule on this page is from official sources: the health ministry’s explainer on the May 2026 changes, its notices on the revised law, designated misuse-prevention medicine and the eight ingredients, and its Q&A; the pharmaceutical law and its regulations on e-Gov; JNTO’s guide for when you feel ill; the National Tax Agency; the health ministry’s page on bringing medicine into Japan; and the Japan Pharmaceutical Association. All were read on October 9, 2026. Rules change; check with a pharmacist.
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