Is it allowed to bring food items to Japan?
I will be going to Japan in a while and was planning to bring along Indian Basmati rice and Pulses (Dal) for my friends over there. The amounts will be for personal consumption only and not for resale or anything. I was wondering if this is legal and if I will have to declare it at customs. And if there is any additional procedure involved.
Best Answer
Technically, agricultural but not highly.processed products like grains and pulses are supposed to be declared and you need to have a phytosanitary certificate:
http://www.au.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/visa_quarantine_en.html
In practice, this sounds like an absurd amount of hassle and I'm not sure how you'd go about obtaining one, particularly in India; I'm also not sure if milled and commercially packed rice counts as "highly processed" , which is OK to import without paperwork.
In any case, Japanese inspections tend to concentrate on outright contraband like drugs. Even if your rice is spotted, it's highly unlikely you would face anything worse than confiscation if you're suitably apologetic ("I'm so sorry, I didn't know"). YMMV.
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What foods can you not bring into Japan?
All animal products, including meat, organs, eggs, bone, fat, blood, skin, hair, feathers, horn, hooves, tendon, raw milk, semen, feces and urine, must be subject to animal quarantine upon arrival at a Japanese port, even if the products are refrigerated, frozen, cooked or in vacuum-sealed packaging.What food items can you bring into Japan?
It is usually not necessary to declare store-bought canned, bottled or packaged food items that are highly processed and do not contain any meat. Some examples may include crackers, dried pasta, candy, jam, tea or coffee. Oh the other hand, some products may be prohibited for import depending on the origin of contents.What is not allowed in Japan?
Japan strictly prohibits entry of narcotics and related utensils, firearms, firearm parts and ammunition, explosives and gunpowder, precursor materials for chemical weapons, germs that are likely to be used for bioterrorism, counterfeit goods or imitation coins or currency, obscene materials, or goods that violate ...Why Tourists Can’t Eat at Japanese Restaurants | Returnees React to 11 Things NOT to do in Japan
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