Japan Tax-Free Shopping 2026: The New Refund at Departure
Last verified against official sources: October 27, 2026. Procedures can change; always confirm on the official sites before you travel.
The short version (as of October 27, 2026)
- For purchases on or after November 1, 2026, Japan's tax-free shops charge the full price including consumption tax. You get the tax back later.
- You still show your passport when you buy. The minimum is 5,000 yen (before tax) per shop, per day.
- When you leave Japan, within 90 days of purchase, scan your passport at a tax-free kiosk in the departure lobby before you check your bags, with the goods in hand. After customs confirms, the shop (or its refund agent) pays the refund.
- Official details: Japan Tourism Agency and Japan Customs.
If you shopped tax-free in Japan before, you are used to paying the lower price at the register. That ends with purchases made on October 31, 2026. Under the new "refund method," you pay full price in the store and claim the tax back on your way out of the country, after a customs check. The trade-off: you no longer need sealed bags for snacks and cosmetics, and you get 90 days instead of 30 to take goods out. This guide explains the new process step by step, using only the Japan Tourism Agency, the National Tax Agency, Japan Customs and JNTO.
What Changed and When
| Date | Change | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| April 1, 2025 | Tax-free shopping no longer applies when you send items overseas yourself by international parcel (direct shipping arranged by the store may still be available) | JNTO: Japan's Tax Exemption |
| Until October 31, 2026 | Tax exempted at the point of sale: you paid the tax-free price in store | Japan Customs |
| October 31, 2026 | Shops that have not filed the required notification for the new system lose their tax-free permit | National Tax Agency |
| November 1, 2026 | Refund method starts: pay tax in store, refund after customs confirms export at departure. Deadline to take goods out extended from 30 to 90 days. Sealed packaging for consumables abolished | JNTO, Aug 4, 2026; Japan Tourism Agency |
The National Tax Agency notes that the old and new systems do not run at the same time. Purchases from November 1, 2026 follow the refund method only.
Old System vs New System
| Until Oct 31, 2026 | From Nov 1, 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price at the register | Tax-free price | Full price including consumption tax |
| When you get the tax back | At purchase | After customs confirmation at departure |
| Minimum purchase | 5,000 yen before tax | 5,000 yen before tax, per shop per day (unchanged) |
| 500,000 yen cap on consumables | Applied | Abolished |
| Consumables vs general goods | Separate rules; consumables sealed in special packaging | One category; no special packaging |
| Time to take goods out of Japan | 30 days | 90 days from purchase |
| Excluded items | Business-use or resale purchases, gold/platinum bullion, tax-exempt items | Gold/platinum bullion, gold and platinum coins, tax-exempt items |
Sources: Japan Tourism Agency summary of changes (PDF); JNTO. Checked October 27, 2026.
Who Can Use It
- Official pages describe eligible purchasers as foreign visitors and other eligible purchasers who take the goods out of Japan. Present your passport at the shop.
- Japanese nationals who have lived abroad continuously for two years or more can also qualify but must prove it. The Japan Tourism Agency says a My Number Card may now be accepted alongside the existing documents (JTA brochure).
- You can only buy in quantities you can personally carry out of Japan when you leave.
If you are unsure whether you qualify, ask the shop before paying. Under the new system you pay the tax either way, so the question is whether you can claim it back.
How the Refund at Departure Works, Step by Step
- At the shop: Show your passport and pay the full, tax-included price. The purchase is logged electronically. Ask the shop how it pays refunds (see the next section).
- Keep everything together: Keep the goods, receipts and your passport. Customs checks each receipt as a unit. If even one item from a receipt is missing, nothing on that receipt qualifies.
- Do not use up consumables: Food, drinks or cosmetics that you eat, drink or use in Japan do not qualify. If you used some, do not scan at the kiosk. Tell a customs officer at the counter instead.
- At the departure airport or seaport, before checking bags: Within 90 days of the purchase, scan your passport at a tax-free procedure terminal (kiosk) in the international departure lobby. You cannot do this after you check your bags, and checked bags will not be retrieved for it.
- Read the result: Green means no inspection is needed and you are done. Red means you take the goods to the customs inspection area. Items costing 1 million yen or more before tax may need a certificate of authenticity or warranty.
- Check in and fly: Leave Japan promptly with the goods.
- Get the refund: After customs confirmation, the shop or its refund agent pays you an amount equal to the consumption tax.
Visit Japan Web option: At seven airports (Narita, Haneda, Kansai, Chubu Centrair, Fukuoka, New Chitose and Naha), you can do the customs step online through Visit Japan Web using the dedicated Wi-Fi in the international departure lobby, before security. Set it up beforehand. If it does not work, use the kiosk (Japan Customs).
Sources for the steps: Japan Tourism Agency, Japan Customs, JNTO (July 20, 2026), checked October 27, 2026.
How the Money Comes Back
The refund is paid by the tax-free shop, or by a refund service the shop has hired, not by customs. The National Tax Agency's overview gives these as example methods:
- Bank transfer
- Credit card
- Payment through an app
- Cash at the departure port after customs confirmation
Which one you get depends on the shop. The Japan Tourism Agency brochure notes that you may need to register credit card details for a card refund. Ask at the register, and keep any paperwork or app details the shop gives you.
What Happens If You Skip It or Get It Wrong
- No customs confirmation, no refund. The National Tax Agency's traveler notice says the refund depends on customs confirmation (NTA notice, PDF).
- Missed the 90 days? The confirmation must happen within 90 days of the purchase date.
- Goods confirmed but not exported? The consumption tax is collected from you, plus a penalty.
- Missed your flight because of the line? Neither the airline nor customs compensates you. Leave extra time.
Scenarios
You bought a jacket on October 30, 2026 and fly home November 5
That purchase falls under the old system, so you pay the tax-free price in store. The new refund steps apply to purchases from November 1, 2026.
You spent 3,000 yen at one shop on Monday and 3,000 yen there on Tuesday
Neither day reaches 5,000 yen before tax at that shop, so neither purchase qualifies.
You bought snacks and ate half before your flight
Snacks you ate do not qualify. If they were on a receipt with other items, that whole receipt fails the check. Do not scan at the kiosk; tell a customs officer at the counter.
You fly Osaka to Tokyo, then Tokyo to Los Angeles
Do the procedure at your final departure airport, the one where you leave Japan. The same applies to fly-and-cruise trips.
You packed your purchases in your checked suitcase
Once your bag is checked, you cannot complete the procedure. Do the kiosk step first, then check in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is tax-free shopping in Japan still available after November 1, 2026?
Yes, but it works as a refund. You pay tax at the register and get it back after customs confirms at departure that you are taking the goods out of Japan.
What is the minimum purchase for a tax refund?
5,000 yen or more before tax, per shop, per day, as of October 2026.
Do I still need to show my passport in the store?
Yes. The purchase is recorded against your passport, and you scan the same passport at departure.
Do snacks and cosmetics still need sealed bags?
No. Special packaging for consumables is abolished, and the 500,000 yen cap on consumables is gone. They only qualify if you take them out of Japan unused.
Where do I get my refund?
From the shop or its refund agent, after customs confirmation. Examples include bank transfer, credit card, app or cash at the port. Ask the shop which it uses.
Can I mail my purchases home tax-free?
Not if you send them yourself by international parcel; that has not qualified since April 1, 2025. Direct shipping arranged by the store may still be available (JNTO).
Do I have to use Visit Japan Web?
No. It is an option at seven major airports. The kiosk in the departure lobby is the standard route.
How We Checked This Guide
We have not shopped in Japan under the new system for this article. Everything here comes from official sources that we checked online on 2026-10-27: the Japan Tourism Agency's tax-free pages and brochures, National Tax Agency notices, Japan Customs and JNTO. We did not include claims that these pages did not state clearly. Not yet checked: how individual stores and refund agents handle payouts in practice, which varies by shop.
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Official Sources
- Japan Tourism Agency: Tax-free shopping, refund method (checked Oct 27, 2026)
- Japan Tourism Agency: summary of system changes (PDF) (checked Oct 27, 2026)
- Japan Tourism Agency: traveler brochure (PDF) (checked Oct 27, 2026)
- National Tax Agency: refund method overview (PDF) (checked Oct 27, 2026)
- National Tax Agency and Japan Customs: notice to travelers, from November 2026 (PDF) (checked Oct 27, 2026)
- Japan Customs: Tax exemption (refund) program for foreign visitors (checked Oct 27, 2026)
- JNTO: Changes are coming to Japan's tax-free shopping (Aug 4, 2026) (checked Oct 27, 2026)
- JNTO: Everything you need to know about Japan's new tax-free shopping system (July 20, 2026) (checked Oct 27, 2026)
- JNTO: Japan's Tax Exemption (checked Oct 27, 2026)
- Digital Agency: Visit Japan Web
Update Log
- October 27, 2026: First published, ahead of the November 1, 2026 switch to the refund method.
- October 28, 2026: Shortened the title; added a summary image.
- October 28, 2026: Added a link to a related guide on this blog.
How this article was made
Written by the PLoMUS Editorial Team with AI drafting assistance; facts checked against the sources above on October 27, 2026. This is general travel information, not tax advice. Confirm the rules on the official sites and with the shop before you buy.
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