Last verified: 22 October 2026.
What are Japan's cannabis penalties for foreigners? The same as for Japanese citizens, plus immigration consequences on top. Since 12 December 2024, using cannabis has been a crime in its own right, carrying up to 7 years in prison, the same as possession [1][2]. Importing carries 1 to 10 years [1]. Police can charge you if an illegal substance shows up in your blood [5], and a drug conviction can lead to deportation and a bar on returning to Japan [7].
No, there's no tourist exemption, and no, a medical card from home doesn't help. Here's how it works, and why "I only used it before I arrived" is not the defence people hope it is.
The short answer
- Cannabis is illegal in Japan for everyone, and the NPA says use is now banned alongside possession and transfer [2].
- Possession or use: up to 7 years. Import or export: 1–10 years [1].
- For profit: up to 10 years plus a fine of up to ¥3 million for possession or use, and longer terms plus up to ¥5 million for import [1].
- Blood tests count. Japan's police can charge you over a positive result [5].
- Foreign nationals face deportation after a drug conviction, and the immigration law bars entry to people with drug convictions from any country [7].
What changed in December 2024
For decades, Japan's old Cannabis Control Act punished possession but not use. The amendment that took effect on 12 December 2024 moved cannabis under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act and closed that gap [2][4]. Using cannabis illegally is now an offence (Art. 66-2), alongside possession (Art. 66) [3].
The same reform introduced strict THC limits for products such as CBD. Above those limits, a product is legally a narcotic [4]. Since 1 June 2026, CBN has also been banned as a "designated substance" [8]. For the CBD detail, see our free Tokyo summary.
The penalties table
From the health ministry's English leaflet on drug penalties [1]:
| What you did | Maximum or range | When done for profit |
|---|---|---|
| Possessing, giving or receiving cannabis | Prison of up to 7 years | 1 to 10 years, plus a fine of up to ¥3 million |
| Using cannabis (a crime since December 2024) | Prison of up to 7 years | 1 to 10 years, plus a fine of up to ¥3 million |
| Importing, exporting or manufacturing | 1 to 10 years in prison | At least 1 year, plus a fine of up to ¥5 million |
These are the legal ranges, not a price list. Courts decide the actual sentence. The FCDO says British nationals convicted of drug trafficking have received 6 to 17 years and fines of ¥3 to 4 million, and that prisoners are assigned work [5].
Why the blood test matters for visitors
This is the part that catches tourists out. The UK Foreign Office says that if Japanese police find an illegal substance in your bloodstream, you may be charged, whether or not you consented to taking it or knew you had [5].
Two more points from the same advice:
- Refusing a police drug test can get you arrested and detained for "obstructing police duties" [5].
- Hospitals usually have to report illegal substances found in a patient's blood test to the police [5].
So a holiday in a country where cannabis is legal, followed by a flight to Tokyo, is not a clean break in legal terms. The safe plan is simple: don't use cannabis before a trip to Japan. And if you need medical help, get it anyway. Your health comes first, and then contact your embassy.
If you're arrested
Japan's pre-charge detention is long by most Western standards. The FCDO says you can be held without charge for up to 23 days, even for minor offences [5]. Its prisoner pack for Japan adds that police must tell you of your right to stay silent and to a lawyer, and must notify your embassy. It also notes that a free first visit from a duty lawyer is available [6].
Two everyday rules matter here too. Visitors are required to have their passport on them, and failing to produce it is itself grounds for arrest [5]. The FCDO also reports arrests over small amounts of drugs received by post, and over positive tests after police raids on clubs and bars [5].
The immigration side: deportation and future entry
For a foreign national, the sentence may not be the end of it. In the official English translation of Japan's Immigration Control Act [7]:
- Deportation: a conviction under Japan's narcotics, cannabis, opium or stimulants laws is a ground for deporting a foreign national (Art. 24(iv)(h)).
- Denial of landing: Art. 5(1)(v) refuses entry to anyone convicted of violating drug-control laws of Japan or any other country. As written, it sets no time limit.
That second point affects people who've never set foot in Japan before: a past drug conviction at home can matter at the Japanese border.
What this means in practice
- Don't bring, buy or use cannabis in Japan. There's no legal route for visitors [1].
- Check CBD products against Japan's THC limits before you pack them, and leave CBN products at home [4][8].
- Don't use cannabis before you travel to Japan. A positive test can lead to charges [5].
- Carry your passport at all times [5].
- Know your embassy's number before you need it.
Want the whole picture?
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Sources
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), "About the Penalties for Drug Offenses in Japan" (English leaflet). Accessed 22 Oct 2026. mhlw.go.jp
- National Police Agency, illegal cannabis portal (Japanese). Accessed 22 Oct 2026. npa.go.jp
- e-Gov Laws, Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act (Act No. 14 of 1953), current text, Arts. 66 and 66-2 (Japanese). Accessed 22 Oct 2026. laws.e-gov.go.jp
- MHLW, enforcement of the amended Cannabis Control Act and Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act, including THC residue limits (Japanese). Accessed 22 Oct 2026. mhlw.go.jp
- UK FCDO, Japan travel advice: "Safety and security". Accessed 22 Oct 2026. gov.uk
- UK FCDO, "Information Pack for British Prisoners in Japan: Arrested". July 2025. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
- Ministry of Justice, Japanese Law Translation, Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, Arts. 5 and 24 (English translation; may predate the 2024 amendments). Accessed 22 Oct 2026. japaneselawtranslation.go.jp
- MHLW Narcotics Control Department, CBD products page, including the CBN designation from 1 Jun 2026 (Japanese). Accessed 22 Oct 2026. ncd.mhlw.go.jp