Doctor’s prescription through customs

My grandfather is visiting Japan. He had knee surgery last year and has had further trouble with it. When going on long trips where he'll be walking a lot, his doctor prescribes him lose dosage Vicodin. He will only be here two weeks and the doctor prescribed him one pill a day, so fourteen in total. The doctor gave him a doctor's note for it as well.

Will he be able to bring this into Japan or no?

I personally know others who have come to Japan with similar, if not worse, medications and they went through customs just fine. However, since this is my grandfather, I want to make sure he will be ok and not get into trouble.

Since Vicodin is a narcotic, you have to obtain prior permission. See http://www.nco.go.jp/shinsei5.html

Ok.

If he fills out that form, what happens after that?

He always carries his medication in his fanny pack when traveling. Could he do that on the flight?

The customs form asks if you're carrying any narcotics. Does he select yes? And if so, what will customs do?

Will he go through customs like everyone else? Or will they have to do something special?

You have to send it by mail to an office in Japan. If permission is granted, the forms will be stamped and returned, and you can show them at the custom check to show that you are permitted to bring the medicine into Japan.

Thank you! The PDF file on the website says I can fax it if it's urgent. I will try to have him do it ASAP by mail, but if not I will have him fax.

Since he will be carrying narcotics, he must check yes on the form. Of course, this will not be a problem if permission has been granted.

found some info below may help:
""
Usually, when you want to bring prescription medicine into Japan you have to apply for an import certificate called a yakkan shōmei from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. However, if your prescription involves narcotics, such as in BM�fs case, you must instead apply for a special certificate through the Narcotics Control Department.

To get this certificate, fill out an import application form (see the link below) with the drug name, quantity and your travel information.

Assuming you would bring enough medicine to cover your return trip, you will also need to complete an export application form and include the amount of medicine you expect to have left when you leave.

You also need to submit a medical certificate from your doctor stating your illness, why narcotics are necessary for your treatment, and the exact name and quantity of the prescribed medicine.

Mail all of these documents to the Narcotics Control Department in the region where you will enter Japan. So if you plan to fly into Narita airport, you would send the documents to the Kanto Shinetsu Narcotics Control Department.

You should submit all the paperwork at least two weeks before you leave for Japan; the certificate will be mailed back to the address you put on your application.

You must mail the documents �\ no fax or email allowed �\ but if you�fre in a hurry, Japan Healthcare Info can submit the paperwork on your behalf (if you�fre flying into Narita). JHI can also assist you with the entire process and communicate directly with the Narcotics Control Department if you have case-specific questions or problems.

Remember that you must take care of this paperwork before you arrive �\ if you attempt to bring morphine (or any other narcotic) into Japan without an official import certificate, you can be arrested on the spot.

For instructions in English, contact information for the Narcotics Control Departments, and to download the application forms, please visit www.nco.go.jp/shinsei5.html.

Many thanks to Japan Healthcare Info for their assistance. JHI can also help with any other health-related issues while traveling in Japan. See japanhealthinfo.com for more information.""

I posted a new question to this forum, but I'm not sure if it went through.

I have a question about the application form.

It asks for the narcotic name, milligram, and quantity.

The doctor's note and prescription bottle states 30 Vicodin/Hydrocodone pills to take once a day depending on if my grandfather experiences pain or not.

So although the note and bottle state 30, my grandfather may actually only have 25 or 20 because he takes them only when he is in pain.

Should my grandfather write on the application 30 since the note and bottle state 30? What happens when he goes through customs and they find only 25 or 20 in his prescription bottle?

You say in your first message that the trip is for two weeks. Then if the prescription says "once a day", the application must be for 15(-ish) pills, not 30.

Note also that if he will have some tablets left at the end of the trip and carry them outside Japan, the export form must be filled as well.

the application must be for 15(-ish) pills

By that I meant of course "for as many pills as days spent in Japan". If you say you will be in Japan for 15 days, have a prescription for one pill per day, but want to bring 30 pills, that's a sure way to get your application denied.

Be sure to post the original doctor's letter to the Narcotics Department. You won't get it back, but you'll receive an import and an export form. They are pretty fast, I had mine within two weeks back.

I'm not sure if from the US - I assume you are American - you need to validate your doctor's letter with an Apostille. Both the US and Japan have signed the Apostille Convention, and I also don't know where you can get the Apostille in the States. Here's information about the Apostille:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostille_Convention

I just applied to bring narcotics to Japan, got my forms and thus permission, but I had to have that Apostille from a Dutch Court.

Where did you get the idea that an apostille is required? The application form does not mention this.

The Dutch Ministry of Health told me I had to certify my doctor's letter, otherwise Japanese customs / Narcotics department could think I signed the letter myself.

I thought I was clear, but I guess not.

My grandfather's doctor gave him a 30 day prescription for Vicodin. He should take it one a day if he knows he will be walking a lot and his knee will be in pain.

The prescription is already filled. The prescription bottle lists 30. The doctor's note lists 30.

However, he still has until August before he comes to Japan. If my grandfather goes anywhere and does anything that'll require him to walk a lot, he will take one of the 30 pills that day.

My question is...

My grandfather will only need enough for 14 days. So he will only bring 14 in his prescription bottle. But the bottle lists 30 pills and the doctor's note lists 30 pills.

Will my grandfather need to ask the doctor for a new doctor's note that states only 14 pills and a new prescription bottle that states one 14 pills?

You say the doctor's note says one a day, so presumably if it also says 30 pills, it's for one month, right? But your grandfather will not stay in Japan one month, so there is no problem: your grandfather will bring 14 pills, enough to cover his stay. The people who will process the application are not stupid.

As far as I know, that should be no problem. One of my friends from the States did the same procedure with painkiller tablets that are classified as narcotics in Japan, and I remember calling NCD to ask, and they said as long as the quantity that is brought into Japan is equal to or less than the amount stated, that is OK.

Thank you .......
I am happy to hear someone with personal experience.
All of your help has been greatly appreciated.
I'm not accusing anyone of being stupid.
I'm just being extra cautious because this my grandfather's first flight overseas and he's flying by himself. I want to make sure he'll be alright and the process is smooth.