Tanya Jepun
BMEN

Japan Tax Refund from 1 November 2026: How Much You Get Back, and the Airport Step You Can't Skip

Checked 2026-09-22

People walking along a shopping street in Tokyo
Photo: Clark Gu / Unsplash

Main sources: the official traveller leaflet (Japan Tourism Agency, METI, National Tax Agency, Japan Customs), the National Tax Agency & Customs "Notice to Foreign Travelers" (from November 2026), and JNTO (20 July 2026). Checked 22 September 2026. This is general information, not tax advice; shop rules can differ, so ask at the counter.

Short answer. How much: 10% of the pre-tax price, or 8% on food and non-alcoholic drinks. How: for goods bought from 1 November 2026, you pay the tax-inclusive price at the tax-free shop and register how you want the refund (a credit card, for example). When you leave, within 90 days of the purchase date, scan your passport at a tax-free procedure terminal in the departure lobby, before you check your bags. After customs confirms the goods are leaving, the shop (or its operator) refunds the tax. No customs procedure, no refund. Purchases up to 31 October still follow the old way.

0. Three situations, three actions

Your tripWhat appliesWhat to do
Home before 1 Nov 2026Old way: tax-free price at the till, consumables in a sealed bag, ¥500,000 cap on consumablesNo change. Don't open the sealed bag before leaving Japan
Trip straddles 1 Nov (say 28 Oct–4 Nov)By purchase date: old way to 31 Oct, refund method from 1 NovKeep the two sets of receipts apart. Goods bought from 1 Nov need the terminal before check-in
Trip from 1 Nov (December school holidays)Refund method throughoutBudget cash/card limit for the extra 10% at the till, and get to the airport early

Hotels near the shopping districts, for your dates: rooms for 2 adults + 2 children in Osaka (Namba/Shinsaibashi) on Trip.com · in Tokyo (prices vary by date; checked 22 Sept 2026).

1. What changes (exactly, per the official leaflet)

Until October 2026From November 2026
When purchasingTax-free purchases (or counter refunds)Purchases include consumption tax. Register refund details (credit cards, etc.)
When departingCustoms inspection after clearing securityCustoms inspection before clearing security (general access area), before checking your bags. Depart within 90 days of the purchase date
Refunds—Processed after customs inspection, by the tax-free store or its operator

Abolished from November: the special sealed packaging for consumables (food, drinks, cosmetics), the ¥500,000 cap on consumables, and the general/consumable split (Japan Guide, 26 June 2026, citing the government announcement). Unchanged: purchases must total at least ¥5,000 before tax, at the same shop, on the same day (JNTO), and you show your passport at the shop.

2. How much comes back

Japan's consumption tax is 10%, or 8% on food and non-alcoholic drinks. Rate: ¥100 = RM2.59 (ECB reference rate, 21 Sept 2026).

Purchase (before tax)You pay at the tillTax refunded
¥5,000 (the minimum)¥5,500¥500 (≈ RM13)
¥30,000¥33,000¥3,000 (≈ RM78)
¥100,000¥110,000¥10,000 (≈ RM259)
Snacks ¥10,000 (8% rate)¥10,800¥800 (≈ RM21)

For your budget: a family spending ¥100,000 needs ¥10,000 more in hand while in Japan, and gets it back later. The refund route is set by the shop or its operator; the National Tax Agency lists bank transfer, credit card, app transfer, or cash at the departure port as possibilities. The official leaflets give no timing or handling fee, so ask three questions at the counter: refund by what, when, and is there a charge.

3. At the airport: the right order

  1. Arrive early. The procedure must be finished before baggage check-in. Once bags are handed over, customs confirmation cannot be done (National Tax Agency & Customs notice).
  2. Scan your passport at a tax-free procedure terminal (kiosk) in the departure lobby. Green = done. Red = a customs officer checks the goods; if you cannot show them, no refund.
  3. Keep the goods reachable. Don't seal the suitcase for good until the screen is green. Then check in.
  4. At Narita, Haneda, Kansai, Chubu, New Chitose, Fukuoka and Naha, you can use Visit Japan Web inside the designated international departure lobby area (on the dedicated Wi-Fi there) instead of queuing for a terminal.
  5. Domestic connection (say Sapporo → Tokyo → KL): do the whole refund procedure at the international airport where you leave Japan.

4. Three traps in the official FAQ

One more: goods confirmed by customs but not taken out of Japan are taxed again with a penalty. Buy only what you yourself can carry out.

5. Questions people ask

I buy on 30 October and fly home on 3 November. Which way? By purchase date: 30 October is the old way (no tax at the till). Purchases on 1–3 November follow the refund method.

Do discount coupons still work? Shop coupons are separate from the tax. For example, the Don Quijote tourist coupon on Klook reads "up to 10% tax free + 5% or 7% additional discount" (Klook page, checked 22 Sept 2026); conditions after 1 November are up to the shop.

No time for the procedure at the airport? JNTO: the inspection counts as incomplete and you may not be eligible for a refund. The leaflets mention no way to do it after you get home.

I update this page when each airport's terminal details and the big chains' refund routes are announced.

Links in this article may be affiliate links (Klook, Trip.com). The price you pay does not change; it helps me keep the numbers updated every month.

Sources

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