Japan applies the 100ml and 1-litre bag rule only on international flights, but bans knives of any size from the cabin. Since 24 April 2026 it has strict power bank rules: no more than two, none in overhead bins, and no charging or use during the flight. Arriving travellers cannot bring meat products such as jerky, and need an import certificate for more than one month's supply of prescription medicine.
Checked against official pages on . Authority: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), Civil Aviation Bureau; MHLW for medicine imports; MAFF Animal Quarantine Service for food.
Liquids
On international flights, all liquids, gels and aerosols must be in containers of 100ml or less, inside one transparent zip-top bag of up to 1 litre per passenger. Show the bag at screening.
- This rule has applied on international flights from Japan since 1 March 2007.
- Medicines, baby milk or food, and special diets are exempt in the amount needed during the flight. Declare them, and for medicine show a prescription copy, the pharmacy bag or a doctor's certificate.
- Liquids bought duty-free after security can be carried on, but transit countries may confiscate them.
- On all flights, including domestic, MLIT dangerous goods rules also limit toiletries, medicines and sprays: 0.5 litres or 0.5kg per container, and 2 litres or 2kg in total per person.
Lighters and matches
One small lighter is allowed, carried on your person in the cabin. Lighters cannot go in checked baggage. Safety matches are allowed, but strike-anywhere matches are not.
- Oil lighters without absorbent material and certain gas lighters are banned in all baggage.
- Battery-powered lighters must not be recharged on board.
Source: MLIT: Restricted items list (PDF); MLIT: Examples of dangerous goods (English PDF)
Knives, scissors and sharp items
Knives of any kind, including pocket knives, letter openers and scalpels, are not allowed in the cabin and must be checked. Scissors are allowed in the cabin only if they are not pointed and the blade is 6cm or less, measured from tip to pivot.
- Small cosmetic or sewing-kit scissors, T-shaped razors and small eyebrow razors are allowed in the cabin.
- Unlike in Canada or New Zealand, there is no exception for knives with short blades.
Source: MLIT: Restricted items list (PDF)
Batteries and power banks
New rules from 24 April 2026: each passenger may carry no more than two power banks, of 160Wh or less, in the cabin only. Do not put them in overhead bins. Do not charge them from aircraft power or use them to charge other devices.
- Power banks are prohibited in checked baggage, and those over 160Wh are prohibited entirely.
- Keep power banks within reach, for example in the seat pocket.
- Spare lithium-ion batteries (not power banks) of 100Wh or less have no quantity limit. Those over 100Wh up to 160Wh are limited to two.
- Breaking these rules may be penalised under aviation law, and some airlines are stricter.
Food
At security, liquid foods on international flights follow the 100ml rule. When arriving in Japan, meat products such as jerky, ham, sausages, bacon and meat buns cannot be brought in without a government inspection certificate from the exporting country, even for personal use or as gifts.
- Animal products must go through inspection at the Animal Quarantine Service counter in the baggage claim area.
- Undeclared meat products can be seized, and offenders may be arrested, fined or imprisoned.
Source: MAFF Animal Quarantine Service: Bringing animal products into Japan
Medication
For personal use, you may bring up to one month's supply of prescription medicine without paperwork. More than that needs an import certificate (Yunyu Kakunin-sho) before you travel. Narcotics and other specially controlled drugs, as well as prohibited drugs such as methamphetamine, are not covered by this allowance.
- At security, carry a prescription copy or doctor's certificate for liquid medicines over 100ml on international flights.