Is Tylenol with Codeine Legal in Japan?
NCD permit required
Tylenol with Codeine contains Codeine and requires a Narcotics Control Department (NCD) import permit before travel to Japan. The permit application must be submitted at least 14 days before arrival, supported by a doctor's letter listing your diagnosis, dosage, and trip length. Tylenol with Codeine cannot be brought into Japan with just a foreign prescription.
Japan status
Permit Required
Quantity threshold
Not applicable
Substance class
Narcotic
Why is Tylenol with Codeine controlled in Japan?
Codeine is a Schedule I narcotic. Japan's law explicitly excludes products containing ≤1% codeine — but this threshold is concentration-based, not dose-based, so check the product carefully.
How to apply for the NCD import permit
- 1Apply for the NCD import permit at least 14 days before your arrival date.
- 2Doctor's letter (dated within 3 months) must list: your full name, diagnosis, medical necessity, drug name, strength, daily dose, and the prescribing doctor's signature.
- 3Attach photos of original packaging showing drug name and strength.
- 4You must carry the import certificate with you and present it at customs — not in checked baggage.
Application form: Submit through the Japan Narcotics Control Department (NCD).
NCD import permit applicationFrequently asked questions
Is Tylenol with Codeine allowed in Japan?▼
Tylenol #3 contains 30 mg codeine per 300 mg acetaminophen tablet — about 9% codeine, well above the 1% exclusion threshold. It requires an NCD permit.
What about cough syrups with codeine?▼
Many US prescription cough syrups (e.g., Promethazine with Codeine) exceed 1% codeine and require an NCD permit. OTC cough preparations sold in Japan typically contain dihydrocodeine instead.
Related medications
Codeine is a Schedule I narcotic. Japan's law explicitly excludes products containing ≤1% codeine — but this threshold is concentration-based, not dose-based, so check the product carefully.
Hydrocodone is a Schedule I narcotic under Japan's Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Law.
Morphine is a Schedule I narcotic under Japan's Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Law. Personal use is allowed with advance NCD permission.
Check your full travel kit
Tylenol with Codeine is just one medication — most travelers carry several. Our free checker reviews your entire prescription list against Japan’s import rules.
Check all my medicationsSource: MHLW Narcotics Control Department — Controlled Substances List (12 Dec 2024). Page last reviewed 2026-05-31 by Dr. Lo and Dr. Lee (PharmD). Regulations change — verify with the MHLW Narcotics Control Department before travel. This page is for informational purposes and is not a substitute for advice from your prescribing physician or from a Japanese customs authority.