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Is Advil pm illegal to bring to japan 2017/12/11 09:10
My American fri he bought it fir me as I airways have problems with jet lag when I fly

I will try to go to the Japanese embassy in London but does anyone know

On the Bottle it says it contains 200 mg ibuprofen and 38 mg diphenhydramine

I would like advice as I am taking Finastride 1 mg tablets for my hair and amitriptyline 10mg for burning sensations for my feet at night BUT I got a letter from my doctor along with a certificate

But as Advil pm is an American medicine I was hoping an American could answer it

Thank you
by Abhi B  

Re: Is Advil pm illegal to bring to japan 2017/12/11 15:22
Advil, and Advil PM is readily across the counter in quite a few Western countries.
My daughter is an International Flight Attendant and Advil PM is in her travel kit, and she uses it for the exact same reasons you are talking about using it for. Jetlag and getting to sleep when the body clock is out of sinc. She doesn't use prescription sleeping pills but finds Advil PM helps. She goes in and out of Japan fortnightly/monthly and has never had any problem with customs. Of course she only has one bottle and it is the branded bottle with label. I cannot comment as to whether it reacts with your other medications, maybe your doctor will help you there, or a pharmacist.
by LoveJapan (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Is Advil pm illegal to bring to japan 2017/12/11 21:03
Also I am looking to bring codine for headaches which 200 mg

Is that okay and people who say all the medicine I mention

Have the been stopped , searched and when found with it they told the can leave with th stuff no problems ?
by Abhi B rate this post as useful

Re: Is Advil pm illegal to bring to japan 2017/12/12 08:22
Ahbi,
You seem to be over anxious about your meds. Japan is a first world country, like UK, and if you have been prescribed these medicines, for yourself, then you will have no problem getting them Japan, for your own needs. In case you are asked, and I don't imagine you will be, have them in their original bottles or packets, with the pharmacy label on the front that will have your name on it, as well as the dosage you take. If like the Advil PM, it was bought over the counter, then, as I pointed out, keep them in the original container. Codeine is sometimes prescribed by doctors and dentists, and sometimes sold over the counter in low dosage packets. Like the other meds you have from your doctor, the codeine will be in a pack, with your pharmacy label, or the manufacturers packaging. Keep them all together .From the many times I have gone through Japanese customs with a variety of prescribed and OTC meds, I have never had to show them, nor had any problems at all. They are looking for people who take medicines, not personally prescribed, and taking them through to onsell.
by LoveJapan (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Is Advil pm illegal to bring to japan 2017/12/12 08:42
Advil and codine is not prescribed but codine is over the country and in packaging

Advil is not from England but I do have the box and bottle but I donft know if itfs illegal in japan
by Abhi B rate this post as useful

Re: Is Advil pm illegal to bring to japan 2017/12/12 12:53
As I tried to point out in my earlier posts Advil PM it is not illegal. Its active ingredients are as you stated, 200mg ibuprofen and 16mg diphenhydramine.
You can buy the equivalent 200mg ibuprofen capsules in Japan, marketed under the brand name Ringl. In Japan they say ibu-purofen. Google it. It is an NSAID. Maybe you are familiar with other brand names, Brufen, Motrin, Nurofen.

Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine, for the treatment of allergies, and can also help with insomnia, because like a lot of antihistamines, it may make you drowsy.
by LoveJapan (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Is Advil pm illegal to bring to japan 2017/12/12 12:55
Sorry should have said 38mg diphenhydramine, not 16mg.
by LoveJapan (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Is Advil pm illegal to bring to japan 2017/12/12 20:04
Okay thank you very much I feel at ease now
by Abhi B rate this post as useful

Re: Is Advil pm illegal to bring to japan 2017/12/12 22:45
Here are a couple of links to some more information on what cannot be brought into Japan:

https://jp.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-c...

http://www.associatedkyotoprogram.org/bringing-medications-japan/

Your Advil PM should be allowed, but Codeine is apparently not allowed.

by frippscratch rate this post as useful

Re: Is Advil pm illegal to bring to japan 2017/12/12 23:35
As has been said so many times, there are over the counter (OTC) meds that are perfectly legal in the USA but illegal in Japan. Sudafed is the best example. Anything containing pseudoephedrine, or any other cold remedy that s actually effective, will trigger all kinds of alarms if customs finds them.

I once had an over-zealous female customs agent show me a series of charts depicting prohibited items (Playboy magazine was one of them, and Sudafed, and so on). She had already made up her mind to take me to a secondary inspection, because of "so many" entries to Japan (3 or 4 in the past year, so that obviously identified me a drug mule). They searched my person, luggage, and what medicine I had. Of course they let me go, much to the extreme disappointment of the customs agent, who thought she was capturing the French Connection, or something. The look on her face when they let me go was almost worth the trouble.

The point is, usually they don't search, but you never know. The Beatles got kicked out for bringing in some marijuana.
by Susan (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Is Advil pm illegal to bring to japan 2017/12/13 04:36
I have never seen any Advil or Tylenol in Japan but you should be able to bring it with you as personal.
Codine however would be a question...Codine is RX in Canada and some places illegal.

However if you have doctors notes, its not like a massive amount that you are bringing, and your not bring in all the other stuff that are illegal, then it should be fine.

Hope this helps!
by Koohii2wii rate this post as useful

Re: Is Advil pm illegal to bring to japan 2017/12/13 06:15
sorry it was not Codine but it is Ibropfen

don't why I kept saying Codine
by Abhi B rate this post as useful

Re: Is Advil pm illegal to bring to japan 2017/12/13 08:41
Reminder that just because something is sold (prescription or OTC) in Japan does not mean it can legally be imported. Those are completely different things.

The authoritative source for those matters is http://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/policy/health-medical/pharmaceuticals/01...
by Firas rate this post as useful

Re: Is Advil pm illegal to bring to japan 2017/12/13 09:04
Sorry I donft know why I kept saying codeine it Is ibrupfen not codeine
by Abhi B rate this post as useful

Re: Is Advil pm illegal to bring to japan 2017/12/13 10:28
Ibuprofen is not codeine. It's more popular name is Advil, and it is sold in Japan (there have even been some TV ads for it). It is not prohibited.
Diphenhydramine is more popularly known as Benadryl, among other names. It is not prohibited either.
I've never had any problems bringing it into Japan.

As noted above, the big prohibited items are psuedoephedrine, psychotropics, and any opiates. If you bring any prescription meds with you, you'd better have a doctor's letter with you.
by Ken (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Is Advil pm illegal to bring to japan 2017/12/13 15:31
Ken I do have 2 prescription medicines seperately as well but I do have doctor letter and the prescriptions for them as well
by Abhi B rate this post as useful

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