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Alcohol — Japan
What travelers need to know about alcohol in Japan. What is legal at home can be a serious crime here — each rule links to its official source.
Short answer
Driving in the U.S. too?The free LawLert iPhone app alerts you when you cross into a U.S. state where a law you track differs. It doesn't cover other countries yet.Get the free appAlcohol in Japan: allowed only under specific conditions.
CONDITIONAL
Japan gives you 3 bottles of alcohol duty-free, and it counts a bottle as 760 ml. If you are under 20 you get ZERO alcohol allowance - no exception, even though Japan's adult age is 18.
Exceeding the allowance is a TAX consequence, not a fine: excess is dutied at the simplified rates above. Japan Customs' declaration form warns that "Any false declaration or failure to declare may be subject to penalty in laws and regulations concerned" but states no amount.
§ Japan Customs (Customs and Tariff Bureau, Ministry of Finance) - "Procedures of Passenger Clearance" and Customs Form C No.5360-B "Declaration of Personal Effects and Unaccompanied Articles" English guide (no date stamp on either); Customs Tariff Law art. 14 + General Notification 14-11Verified Aug 27, 2026
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LawLert is an independent app and is not affiliated with any government. It summarizes laws from official government and U.S. State Department sources for general information only. This is not legal advice, and laws change. Always confirm with official sources and local authorities before you travel.