Japan: travel laws for tourists, topic by topic

💊 Drugs · Guides by topic

• Almost every country separates use, possession and trafficking — and the line between them is a weight, not an intention.
• Being caught with several bags, a scale or cash next to the drug will usually reclassify "use" into "dealing".
• Carrying for a friend counts as your possession. There is no shared-responsibility defence.

💉 Medicines · Guides by topic

• ADHD medicine is the number one problem: banned outright in some countries, prescription or not.
• Codeine and tramadol are ordinary painkillers in Europe and controlled narcotics in the Gulf and Egypt.
• CBD is legal in much of Europe and completely banned in the Gulf and parts of Asia — including cosmetics.

🔪 Weapons · Guides by topic

• Pocket knives, multi-tools and even a corkscrew can be classified as a weapon depending on blade length and lock type.
• Pepper spray and personal alarms are banned or restricted in a surprising number of countries.
• Tasers and knuckledusters are prohibited essentially everywhere.

⛓️ Jail risk · Guides by topic

• You have the right to contact your consulate. Ask immediately, and repeat the request until it happens.
• A consulate cannot get you out, but it can find a lawyer, notify your family and monitor conditions.
• Never sign a statement you cannot read. Demand an interpreter, in writing if possible.

Is Japan strict with tourists?

Overall verdict: Stay alert. 4 of 23 topics are flagged as banned or a serious risk (Drugs, Medicines, Weapons, Jail risk), 10 require caution.

What can get me fined or arrested in Japan?

The strictest topics for travellers in Japan are: Drugs, Medicines, Weapons, Jail risk. Each has specific thresholds and penalties, detailed in the app.

Where do I find the exact rules for Japan?

In LawsTravels: open Japan, each topic shows the level, the rule, the thresholds and what to do at customs, offline. Your home country is free; a destination is unlocked for the price of a coffee.