Bringing restricted medications to Japan

Hi guys,
this is my first time here
I stayed as a tourist in Japan 5 times in the last 6 years in Japan, everything went fine clearing the customs, due to my axiety/insomnia problems, i always take with me some lorazepam tabs wich is a controlled/restricted substance in Japan .
I never declared this med and i never been asked /searched by the costums.

This time ( I'll be in Japan next Jun for a couple o weeks) I want to make things in the proper way so i mailed to the Narcotics Control Department (NCD) in Tokyo the follw:

Dear Madam/Sir,

I'm coming to Japan for tourism for about 10 days .I'll be arriving at Narita airport on June the 6th.
I've been prescribed by my doctor with 2 medications: LORAZEPAM 2.5 mg ,2 tables a day for insomnia problems and
LISINOPRIL(20mg)+Hydrochlorothiazide(12.5mg) named as ZESTORETIC a tablet a day ,for high blood pressure.

I kindly ask you if I can bring these medication to Japan (20 tabs of Lorazepam and 10 tsbs 30tbs in total for personal use ) and if I need any particular authorisation before/after I come to Japan [...]


Surprisingly the mailed me back within minutes :

ello,

I�fm a staff of Narcotics Control Department in Tokyo.

Thank you for your contact.



Because your medications are not Narcotics, you don�ft need our permission.

And Lorazepam is Psychotropics.

About psychotropics, if you carry more than 90mg of Lorazepam at the time of entry into/departure from Japan, you need to get the medical certificate about these drugs and show it with your drugs to Japanese customs.

About you, it may be not applicable.

Lisinopril and Hydrochlorothiazide are not any permission for 10 days trip. [...]

and then I mailed them again :
[...]
But I have just 2 more questions to ask you

1 - on the Customs declaration form on 1.1 question "Are you bringing the follow into Japan "Prohibited Article(s) or restricted " should I tick the YES square?"

2- on the embarkation/disembarktion for foreigns card on question 3 "Do you presently have in you possession narcotics ,marijuana, opium, stimulants,or other drug, sword explosives other such item should I tick the YES (‚Í‚¢) square?"[...]
and here is their reply :

Because your medications are not Narcotics, you don�ft need our permission. And Lorazepam is Psychotropics.
About psychotropics, if you carry more than 90mg of Lorazepam at the time of entry into/departure from Japan, you need to get the medical certificate about these drugs and show it with your drugs to Japanese customs.
About you, it may be not applicable.
Lisinopril and Hydrochlorothiazide are not any permission for 10 days trip.

Now what if i Follow the procedure : will I be asked /searched and they will take me to some kind of interview room and questioned again and again


I have nothing to hide but due to my anxiety I could get a little nervous about the situation so it may look like I had something to hide

has anyone had experience like that?

What do you think about my suìtuation?
thank you for your attention .

I apologise for my English I'm not a native speaker so be patient please :)

For all I know, have you doctor to write out a formal letter indicating the issue of these drugs under your name, I think that all is needed to pass through customs. Thats how some other countries do it. As it's not really a illegal drug, you shouldn't be too concern, you might be taken into a room for inspection of the drug, and if they are the stated ones, as this won't be done in the open.

You are not carrying narcotics as they answered so get an english prescriptions from your doctor or from the pharmacy and bring the drugs in their original package. Take only what you need plus some extra if there is a delay of flight etc. coming back.

If I remember correctly the questions on the forms where in a way that I at least answered no. I was carrying a medicine similar to your anxiety.

people get nervous even when they are asked routine questions so don't worry about that.

Just to clarify, I would and have taken English proof that the meds are from the doctor, kept them in their original package,ticked the box no and walked through customs.

You will be fine, what they care about are narcotics and amphetamines. Get a letter from your doctor regarding your prescription "So and so is under my medical care and is prescribed the following medications:" then list them and there dosages. Print out a copy of the email, and take it with you. On the immigration form just mark no, if asked and searched be open about them and show them the email and the letter. It's highly, highly likely nothing will happen.

As I wrote earlier, you might get a letter also from the pharmacy. That's at least how it works for me. I just go to the pharmacy, tell them I need english written proof that my medicine has been prescribed by a doctor and they print and stamp it. It is so simple :)
But in some countries you have to get that letter from the doctor.

Bring your doctor's prescription as a proof just in case.

hey guys this is an update of the situation : I landed yesterday at Narita and went Through immigration (quite busy at that moment tho) then the customs :the customs agent was probably a guy in his early 20s but be honest he looked like a senior hi gh school student (in my country the yougest custom agenT I ever seen was in his md 30s but anyway) and when he saw I checked the yes box on the customs sheet he asked me why then I said him back because of meds,he asked me what those meds were for here it comes the funny part : I said anxiety and he said back "anx... what is axiety?" ...sleep probs I promptly said back then he quickly checkd the boxes, smailed and let me go :).

I've got the feeling they feel quite uneasy when it comes to speak
to foreigners people so I think they tend to speed up the whole thing unless you are suspected of being a drug trafficker or thing like that.

I hope this helps those who may be in the same situation