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US customs allowance when you return from Japan

US residents returning from Japan can bring in US$800 of purchases per person free of duty, with a flat rate on the next US$1,000 and set limits for alcohol and tobacco. Meat, fruit and other farm products follow USDA rules and must always be declared. This guide summarizes CBP, USDA and FDA rules as of 28 October 2026.

By Mikako Yoshida ·Published 28 October 2026

US customs allowance when you return from Japan
Haneda Airport Terminal 3 · Photo: MaedaAkihiko (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Allowances for returning US residents

ItemAllowanceConditions
Purchases and giftsUS$800 per personAbroad at least 48 hours; exemption not used in the past 30 days; goods accompany you; personal or household use
Alcoholic beverages1 liter, counted within the US$800Age 21 or over; further liters are dutiable and taxed even if your total is under US$800
Cigarettes200, counted within the US$800Age 21 or over
Cigars100, counted within the US$800Age 21 or over
Next US$1,000 of dutiable goodsFlat duty rate of 3%Personal use or gifts, not for sale
Goods above that bandEach item’s own rate in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTSUS)The rate depends on the item, where it was made and what it is made of
Currency and monetary instrumentsReport amounts over US$10,000FinCEN Form 105, filed online or on paper from a CBP officer
CBP passport control at Baltimore/Washington Airport
CBP passport control at Baltimore/Washington Airport · Photo: CBP Photography (Public domain)

How the exemption is counted

Each family member, children included, is entitled to the US$800 exemption. Members of one household who return together may group their exemptions into one, no matter which of them owns an item. A family member under 21 does not add an alcohol allowance to the group.

The exemption is applied first to the items with the highest duty rates. Duty is based on the total price paid for an item abroad, not on its size or weight. Items shipped home separately may not be covered, and any unused part of the exemption cannot be carried over to a later trip.

Above the exemption, family members returning together on a joint declaration can combine their flat-rate amounts; CBP’s example puts the combined band at US$4,000 for a family of four. Japan’s tax-free shopping removes Japanese consumption tax only. The US exemption is a separate system and covers everything you bring back.

Changes in 2025 and 2026

The US$800 personal exemption for returning residents has not changed. The changes concern shipments: duty-free de minimis treatment was suspended for imports from all countries from 29 August 2025, and a CBP rule published on 24 June 2026 suspended the de minimis exemption for the international postal network and set up a postal entry process. That rule also notes that legislation ends the de minimis exemption from 1 July 2027.

Both measures state that the separate exemption for personal articles accompanying travelers is not affected. Parcels you post home from Japan are handled as shipments, while the US$800 exemption covers goods that travel with you.

Wagyu and other meat

USDA does not allow travelers to bring back most cattle, swine, sheep or goat meat from countries affected by foot-and-mouth disease, BSE, swine vesicular disease, classical swine fever or African swine fever. Fresh, frozen, cooked, cured or dried meat from countries without these diseases is allowed with official proof of origin, such as the package label or the receipt, up to 50 pounds of an item.

APHIS lists Japan as free of foot-and-mouth disease but subject to additional import restrictions, and as negligible risk for BSE. CBP decides at inspection whether wagyu, beef jerky or sausages can enter, so declare them and keep the original packaging and receipt.

Restricted or prohibited items

  • Almost all fresh fruits and vegetables, whole or cut, including fruit served on the plane
  • Most beef, pork, lamb and goat products from countries affected by the livestock diseases listed above
  • Products containing meat from restricted countries as an ingredient, such as beef broth
  • More than 50 pounds of a single meat item, which counts as a commercial shipment
  • Seeds, bulbs, cuttings and other plant parts for growing without a phytosanitary certificate issued in advance
  • Soil without an advance permit
  • Medicines approved in another country but not approved in the US
  • Goods bought for sale, which are outside the exemption and the flat rate

Useful before you fly

eSIM for Japan, installed before you leave home

Airalo Saily Yesim

JR Pass and Shinkansen tickets

Klook KKday

Airport transfer when you have a lot of shopping bags

Klook Trip.com Welcome Pickups

Luggage storage in Tokyo for the hours before an evening flight

Radical Storage

Hotels in Japan

Klook Trip.com

Coupons

Arrival in the US

  1. List your purchases

    Note the price paid for everything acquired abroad, including gifts, and keep the receipts and original packaging of any food.

  2. Complete the declaration

    Itemize purchased merchandise and agricultural products on CBP Declaration Form 6059B, and answer Yes to Question 11 if you carry meat, fruit, vegetables, plants, seeds or other farm products.

  3. Report cash

    If you carry more than US$10,000 in currency, traveler’s checks, money orders or other monetary instruments, file FinCEN Form 105.

  4. Present your goods

    The CBP officer calculates any duty on newly acquired goods. Declared agricultural items are inspected, and an item that cannot enter is removed without a penalty.

Undeclared food

Leaving food off the declaration is the costliest mistake. Civil penalties for undeclared prohibited agricultural items can reach US$1,000 for a first non-commercial offense. If you declare an item and the inspector refuses it, you face no penalty.

Raw wagyu beef from Shimane
Raw wagyu beef from Shimane · Photo: Nesnad (CC BY 4.0)

Frequently asked questions

Do children get their own US$800 exemption?
Yes. Each family member is entitled to the exemption, and members of one household returning together can group them. A family member under 21 cannot add an alcohol allowance.
I am bringing back three bottles of sake. Is that duty-free?
Only 1 liter can be included in the exemption, and only if you are 21 or over. In CBP’s example, a traveler with three liters of wine and nothing else pays duty and internal revenue tax on two liters, even though the total is under US$800. The laws of the state where you arrive also apply.
Can I bring Japanese wagyu home?
It is decided at inspection. Meat is allowed only from countries without the listed livestock diseases and with proof of origin, and APHIS lists Japan as free of foot-and-mouth disease subject to additional restrictions. Declare it and keep the package label and receipt.
Can I bring medicines bought in Japan?
FDA states that in most circumstances it is illegal for individuals to import drugs for personal use, and that a drug approved abroad but not in the US cannot be imported. FDA staff may take a more permissive approach for a personal supply of generally no more than 3 months under the conditions FDA lists.
Does the Japanese tax refund change my US allowance?
No. Japan’s tax-free shopping removes Japanese consumption tax only. The US$800 exemption and US duty are a separate system based on the price you paid abroad.
Do parcels I mail from Japan count toward my exemption?
The exemption covers goods that accompany you, and items shipped separately may not be covered. Shipments have not received duty-free de minimis treatment since 29 August 2025.

Before you leave Japan

Tax refund kiosks at Japanese airportsWhere the customs check for the consumption tax refund takes place on departure.How the Japanese refund is paidPayout options for the refunded consumption tax.Common tax-free shopping mistakesErrors that cost travelers their refund in Japan.

Read this next

Claiming your tax refund at the airportWhere to find the tax-free kiosk at Japanese airports, what green and red results mean, using Visit Japan Web, and what to do on connecting flights and cruises.What you can and cannot buy tax-free in JapanWhat qualifies for Japan’s tax refund from 1 November 2026: gold bullion and coins no, jewellery and iPhones yes, meals and hotels no, business use now allowed.Airport duty-free in Japan and how it differs from tax-free shoppingNarita, Haneda and Kansai duty-free shops are not part of the new refund system. What each removes, who can buy, pre-orders, arrival shops and allowances.

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