Cannabis — Japan
What travelers need to know about cannabis in Japan. What is legal at home can be a serious crime here — each rule links to its official source.
Cannabis in Japan: prohibited — what is legal at home can be a serious crime here.
Cannabis is illegal in Japan and is now legally classified as a narcotic, so possessing it can bring up to 7 years in prison — and since the 2023 reform, simply using it is a separate crime carrying the same 7-year maximum. Bringing any cannabis into Japan, including edibles, vape cartridges and CBD oil that contains THC, is punished far more harshly: 1 to 10 years' imprisonment.
Possession or use: up to 7 years' imprisonment (1–10 years plus a fine up to 3,000,000 yen if for profit). Import or export: 1 to 10 years' imprisonment. Attempts are punishable.
§ e-Gov Japan — Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act (Act No. 14 of 1953), arts. 2, 13, 27, 28, 65, 66, 66-2Verified Aug 20, 2026