Japan Tax Free 90 Days Rule: Which Day Is Day 1 in 2026?

Day 1 is the date you buy. You have 90 days from that date to leave Japan and have the purchase confirmed by customs on the way out — Japan Customs (checked August 19, 2026).

Not the day you arrived, not the day you collect the goods, and not the day the refund lands.

What exactly has to happen within 90 days?

1. You leave Japan. The goods leave with you.
2. Customs confirms the purchase. You present the same passport at a terminal; the screen returns Green or Red — Japan Customs (checked August 19, 2026).

The deadline is the confirmation, not the flight. Boarding without passing the terminal ends the process, because from November 1, 2026 that step is what releases the money — Japan Tourism Agency (checked August 19, 2026).

Why does the count start at purchase and not arrival?

Because the rule is about the goods, not about you. The condition is that what you bought tax free actually leaves Japan, and the clock measures how long those specific items have been in the country.

That is also why each purchase carries its own clock. Something bought on day 1 of a long stay and something bought on day 80 have different deadlines even though you leave once.

What changed about the 90-day rule on November 1, 2026?

The 90 days are unchanged. What changed is the weight of the customs step.

Until October 31, 2026 the tax came off at the register, so the airport confirmed a discount you already had. From November 1 you pay the tax-included price and the money comes back after the confirmation — so missing it now costs the whole refund rather than nothing.

What else has not changed about the deadline?

• Separate shipment was abolished at the end of March 2025. The goods travel with you or not at all.
• The minimum is still ¥5,000 before tax at one shop on one day — ¥5,500 on the tag.
• The refund is still one eleventh of the tax-included price.

When do the 90 days actually bite?

You are on a long stay

Buy in week one of a four-month stay and the purchase can expire before you fly. This is the main case. If you know you are staying more than three months, buy late rather than early.

You visit Japan several times a year

Trips do not connect. Goods bought in October and left behind do not become claimable in December. Each trip stands alone, and each purchase carries its own 90 days.

Your departure is delayed

An extended stay can push a purchase past day 90 without you doing anything. The clock does not pause for a changed flight, and there is no extension to apply for.

You planned to post the goods home

This no longer works. Separate shipment of tax-free goods was abolished at the end of March 2025, so posting a parcel instead of carrying it removes the purchase from the scheme entirely.

You are connecting through another Japanese airport

The confirmation belongs to the international departure, not the domestic leg. If you check a bag through from Osaka to your home city, the goods inside are unreachable by the time you meet the terminal in Tokyo. Keep them with you.

You bought before a long domestic trip inside Japan

Time spent moving around Japan counts toward the 90 days like any other time. A purchase in Tokyo on day 1 of a three-month rail trip has the same deadline whether you spend that time in one city or ten.

The practical effect is that a long domestic itinerary and a long stay are the same problem. If the trip runs close to three months, buy in the second half rather than the first.

What has not been published about the deadline?

The 90 days themselves are settled. Two related points are not, as of August 19, 2026:

• Where the terminals sit in each airport, and whether they are before or after security. Nothing on the Japan Customs (checked August 19, 2026) site states it per airport.
• How many days the refund takes after the confirmation. Figures quoted elsewhere do not come from a Japanese government source — the Japan Tax-free Shop Association (checked August 19, 2026) has not stated one.

Allow extra time at the airport until the layout is published, and keep purchases in hand luggage until you have passed the terminal.

We check the Japan Tourism Agency, the Japan Tax-free Shop Association and Japan Customs, and update this page with the date we checked when either is published. Until then, "not published" is the accurate answer for both, and it is more useful than a confident wrong one.

Questions people ask

Which day is day 1 of the 90 days?

The purchase date. Not your arrival date, and not the date you leave.

Does the 90-day clock restart if I leave and come back?

No. Each purchase keeps its own 90 days from the date it was bought. A later trip does not extend an earlier purchase.

Can I post the goods home instead of carrying them?

No. Separate shipment of tax-free goods was abolished at the end of March 2025, so the goods must leave Japan with you.

What happens if I pass 90 days before leaving?

That purchase falls outside the scheme, whichever system applied when you bought it.

Is the deadline the flight or the customs check?

The customs confirmation. Boarding without passing the terminal ends the process, and there is no way to claim afterwards.

Is day 90 the last day to fly or to clear customs?

Both happen together at departure, so day 90 covers the whole step. Leave margin rather than planning to the final date.

Where do I do the confirmation on a connecting flight?

At the airport where you leave Japan, not the domestic departure point. Keep tax-free purchases in hand luggage on connecting itineraries.

Do the 90 days count business days or calendar days?

Calendar days from the purchase date. Weekends and public holidays are included, and nothing pauses the count.

If I buy on several days, is there one deadline or many?

Many. Each purchase carries its own 90 days from its own date, so a purchase on day 1 and one on day 80 of a long stay have different deadlines.

Does the refund have to arrive within 90 days too?

No. The 90 days apply to leaving Japan and clearing customs. How long the money then takes has not been published as of August 19, 2026.

Can I get an extension if my flight is cancelled?

There is no published extension. A purchase that passes day 90 before you leave falls outside the scheme.