Refund JapanThis page is written for English-speaking travellers going to Japan.
Can you open it, wear it, or eat it before you fly?
The sealed bag that consumables had to travel in disappears on November 1, 2026. Here is what that does and does not change.
What the end of sealed packaging changes
Under the old system, consumables — cosmetics, medicine, food, drink — had to travel in a sealed bag, and opening it put the exemption at risk. That rule, and the whole split between consumables and general goods, ends on November 1, 2026.
So the specific fear that made people leave skincare sets and medicine boxes untouched for two weeks stops applying to purchases made from that date.
What still applies
One condition does not go away: the goods leave Japan with you. That is what the customs terminal is confirming, and a Red result asks you to show the item.
Which means the practical question is no longer "is the seal intact" but "can I produce this at the airport". A camera you have been using is still a camera you can hand over. A box of sweets you have eaten is not.
If you bought before November 1, 2026
The old rules follow the purchase. Something bought on October 30, 2026 was sold to you under the sealed-packaging regime, and it does not move to the new rules because you fly out in November.
Common questions
Can I use the electronics I bought before I fly?
From November 1, 2026 there is no consumables category and no sealed-packaging requirement. Keep the item reachable at departure in case you are asked to show it.
Can I eat the snacks I bought tax-free?
The refund rests on the goods leaving Japan with you. What you have eaten is not leaving with you.
Do I still need the shop’s sealed bag?
Not for purchases made from November 1, 2026. For purchases made up to October 31, 2026, the old rules apply to that purchase.