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Japan's new tax refund system from November 1, 2026
Your one-stop guide to tourist tax refunds

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Getting your money back: methods, fees and timing

The refund is not paid by the government or by customs. It is paid by the shop where you bought the goods, or by a refund company working for that shop.

Japan. Tax-free Shop sign on a checkout counter
Tax-free sign at a store checkout
Refund method from
1 November 2026
Customs check within
90 days of purchase
Minimum spend
¥5,000 before tax, per shop per day

Possible refund methods

  • Back to a credit card
  • Bank transfer
  • Payment through an app or e-wallet
  • Cash at the airport after the customs check (only where the shop’s refund company offers it)

Each shop decides

Which methods are available depends on the shop and the refund company it uses. You are told how to register your refund method when you buy. If you shop at several stores, you may have to register separately for each one.

Why you get back less than 10%

The tax is already inside the price you paid. For general goods taxed at 10%, the tax is 10/110 of the price, about 9.1%. For food and non-alcoholic drinks taxed at 8%, it is 8/108, about 7.4%.

Refund companies are moving to a model where a handling fee is deducted from your refund. There is no single national fee; it depends on the company and the shop. Ask in the shop how much you will actually receive.

Handling fees announced by shops (as of 18 October 2026)

ShopFee to youConditionsSource
Don Quijote, MEGA Donki and other PPIH group storesNo feeTaking cash at the airport: the refund company charges its own fee. The offer can change or end without notice.PPIH news release (PDF), 5 October 2026
Bic CameraNo fee (reported)Reported for refunds to a credit card; taking cash at the airport has a fee.Media reports, 13–15 October 2026. Not yet on the company’s website.
Takeya (Ueno, Tokyo)No fee (reported)Reported for refunds to a credit card.Media reports, 13–15 October 2026. Not yet on the company’s website.
Other shops and department storesNot announcedAsk before you pay.—

What refund companies charge

Most shops hand the refund to a refund company, and none of the large ones has published its fee for the new system yet. In April 2026 the Japanese business paper Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun reported that Global Blue charges travellers about 1.55% today and plans to deduct up to about 3% under the refund method (Newswitch).

A fee of 1.55% of the price turns the ¥1,000 tax on an ¥11,000 purchase into a refund of about ¥830.

Refund calculatorSee what a fee means for your own purchases.

When the money arrives

The refund is paid after the customs check confirms that you took the goods out of Japan. Cash at the airport is the fastest where available. Card, bank and app refunds are processed after your departure; the timing depends on the refund company.

Refunds to a card or bank account abroad

Card and bank refunds start from an amount in yen. Your card company or bank converts it at its own rate and may charge a fee for the conversion or for receiving a transfer from abroad, so ask them before you choose a refund method.

A Wise account can hold Japanese yen alongside other currencies; what it offers depends on your country: Wise.

Questions to ask in the shop

  • Which refund methods do you offer?
  • Is there a fee, and how much will I actually get back?
  • Do I register now, or later in an app or website?
  • Who do I contact if the refund does not arrive?

For your departure day