Japan Tax-Free Change Nov 2026: How the New Refund Works
Tokyo Mate
Japan's tax-free change applies to purchases made from 1 November 2026. The current system of tax exemption at the point of sale ends, and it becomes a refund system: you pay the price including consumption tax first, then get the equivalent of the consumption tax back after a customs check before you leave Japan.
When the change starts and how it works
The tax-free refund method changes from 1 November 2026.
Items bought up to 31 October fall under the current tax-free system, and items bought from 1 November fall under the new refund system.
The date that counts is the day you bought the item, not the day you leave Japan.
| Item | Up to 31 October | From 1 November |
|---|---|---|
| System | Current tax-free system | Changes to a tax refund system |
| Consumption tax | Pay the price excluding consumption tax, or pay including tax and get it back at a tax-free counter | Pay including consumption tax, then get it back after a customs check at the airport or port when you leave |
※ Based on official information from the Japan Tourism Agency and the National Tax Agency, checked on 6 September 2026.
⚠️ If your trip falls in late October to early November, check your purchase dates.
Even if you buy on 31 October and leave on 1 November, the current system applies. Items bought from 1 November, on the other hand, go through the new refund procedure, where you pay the price including consumption tax first.
The 5,000 yen tax-free minimum
The 5,000 yen minimum purchase for tax-free stays the same after 1 November 2026.
The total of tax-free-eligible items bought at the same store on the same day, excluding tax, has to be 5,000 yen or more. Under the new system there is no longer a split between general goods and consumables, so both are added together to see whether you reach 5,000 yen.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Minimum | 5,000 yen or more, excluding tax, at the same store on the same day |
| How it is judged | General goods and consumables added together, no split |
| Quantity | What you can carry out of Japan yourself |
| High-value items | A certificate of appraisal or warranty may be required for items of 1 million yen or more per unit, excluding tax |
✅ Four things being abolished
From 1 November 2026, four of the current tax-free conditions are abolished.
- The split between general goods and consumables
- The 500,000 yen (excluding tax) cap on consumables
- The special packaging requirement for consumables
- The requirement that items be for everyday use
⚠️ The end of the special packaging requirement does not mean you can eat or use the items in Japan.
If you eat or use food, drinks, cosmetics and so on in Japan and do not have those items with you at the customs check, you cannot get a refund for that purchase. If you do not take them out of Japan even after the customs check, the consumption tax is collected and you become subject to penalties.
Tax-free refund procedure at the airport
From 1 November 2026, when you leave Japan you have to have customs confirm that you are taking your tax-free items out before you check in your luggage.
When you scan your passport at a tax-free procedure kiosk, the result shows as GREEN or RED.
Source: 「旅行者向け特設ページ（英語版）」 (Japan Tourism Agency) (Japan Tourism Agency website: https://www.mlit.go.jp/kankocho/tax-free/page01_000001_00028.html)
- Scan your passport → use the tax-free procedure kiosk
- GREEN → the customs check is complete
- RED → your tax-free items are checked at the customs inspection area
- After the procedure → check in your luggage
The kiosk result itself takes only a few seconds, but a RED result means extra time for the items to be checked. If you are changing from a domestic flight to an international one, you do the procedure at the final airport you actually leave Japan from.
⚠️ Do not check in your luggage first.
- Once luggage is checked in, it cannot be taken back out for the tax-free inspection. In case you get a RED result, it is important to have your tax-free items checked first and only then check in your suitcase.
- If you run out of time and cannot finish a required inspection, you are not treated as having passed the customs check.
✅ Within 90 days of purchase
You have to have your tax-free items checked by customs as you leave Japan within 90 days of the purchase date. The count starts the day after purchase and runs to the 90th day, so items bought on 1 November 2026 have until 30 January 2027.
On a normal short trip this is not much to worry about, but for a long stay or a schedule with several trips in and out of Japan, it is a good idea to keep track of your purchase dates.
✅ Online procedure with Visit Japan Web
At seven airports, Narita, Haneda, Kansai, Chubu, New Chitose, Fukuoka and Naha, you can use Visit Japan Web instead of the tax-free procedure kiosk. It can be used before security screening, in designated Wi-Fi areas in the international departures lobby.
How you get the refund, and things to watch
From 1 November too, when you buy tax-free you show your passport or similar at the store to confirm you are eligible, and register your refund details as instructed.
Once customs has confirmed at departure that you are taking the items out, you get the equivalent of the consumption tax back through the store you bought from or the refund operator it uses. There is no single refund method for the whole of Japan.
- Payment to a bank account
- Refund through a credit card or similar
- Refund through an app
- Cash refund at the departure airport or port
The refund method, timing and fees can differ by store or refund operator.
✅ What to check when you buy
- How the refund is paid
- When you register your refund details
- Whether there is a separate fee
- When the refund arrives
⚠️ The customs check is done per purchase.
If you do not have even one of the tax-free items from the same purchase with you at the customs check, you cannot get a refund for that whole purchase.
For example, if you bought snacks and cosmetics together tax-free and then ate the snacks in Japan, you cannot get a refund for the cosmetics in that same purchase either.
Japan tax-free change FAQ
Q. What happens if I buy on 31 October and leave on 1 November?
A. The purchase date is what counts, so the current tax-free system applies. The new refund system applies to purchases from 1 November 2026.
Q. Does the 5,000 yen tax-free minimum change from November?
A. No. The total of tax-free-eligible items bought at the same store on the same day, excluding tax, has to be 5,000 yen or more, and general goods and consumables are added together without a split.
Q. If the special packaging goes away, can I eat or use the items in Japan?
A. No. You have to have your tax-free items with you at the customs check, and if any item from a purchase is missing, you cannot get a refund for that whole purchase.
Q. Do I get the tax-free refund in cash straight away at the airport?
A. Not necessarily. The method and fees can differ by store or refund operator, and include bank accounts, credit cards, apps and cash refunds at the airport or port.
Before your trip, it is best to check the latest information from the Japan Tourism Agency and the National Tax Agency.
➡️ Japan Tourism Agency: tax-free refund system change
Purchases up to 31 October fall under the current tax-free system. For purchases from 1 November, you pay the price including consumption tax first, then have customs check the items before you check in your luggage when you leave.
If you are travelling to Japan from November on, remember: "customs check first, before you check in your luggage."
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