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Japan's New Tax Refund System, Explained the Way You'll Actually Use It (From November 2026)

AWritten byOur team in Japan
✓Checked against19 official sources
Updated on 2026-10-31

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Last checked 2026-10-31. Rules and prices change — always confirm on the official pages linked below.

In this guide
  1. Short answer
  2. What you actually get back: a worked example
  3. Old system vs. new system at a glance
  4. In the store: passport, pay, receipt
  5. At the airport: terminal, check, refund
  6. Who qualifies
  7. What you should actually do
  8. What the official sources don't say yet
  9. Official sources
  10. Updated
  11. Disclaimer

Short answer

  • Do I pay the full price in the store? Yes. For sales from November 1, 2026, tax-free shops sell to visitors at the tax-inclusive price. The old system ended with October 2026, with no transition period. (Japan Tourism Agency (JTA), Osaka Customs, JTA)
  • When do I get the tax back? In principle, after customs at the airport or seaport confirms you are taking the goods out of Japan. The shop or its refund operator then refunds the consumption tax amount. (JTA, Kagawa Prefecture)
  • What do I do at the airport? Within 90 days of purchase, and before you check your bags, scan your passport at a customs terminal. (Kagawa Prefecture, Osaka Customs)
Illustrative image (AI-generated, not a photo of the actual place).

What you actually get back: a worked example

Say you buy clothes or electronics (taxed at 10%) for 33,000 yen (≈ $210) in one shop on one day: 30,000 yen plus 3,000 yen tax, over the 5,000-yen minimum. (National Tax Agency, JTA) Dollar figures are approximate, at the Federal Reserve's 156.87 yen per dollar (Oct. 23, 2026).

Your caseYou get back
The tax you paid (the most possible)3,000 yen (≈ $19)
Your shop charges no refund fee3,000 yen
Your shop's refund company takes 20%2,400 yen (≈ $15)
A 2,400-yen refund taken as airport cash (about 10% more off)2,160 yen (≈ $14)

Old system vs. new system at a glance

ItemOld system (until end of Oct 2026)New refund system (sales from Nov 1, 2026)
Price at the registerTax-free (tax-excluded)Taxed (tax-included)
When the tax comes backNot charged at purchaseRefunded after customs confirmation at departure
Minimum spend5,000 yen or moreUnchanged — same store, same day, tax-excluded
"General goods" vs. "consumables" splitYesAbolished
500,000 yen cap on consumablesYesAbolished
Special sealed packagingRequiredAbolished
Purchase limit—What you can carry out of Japan yourself at departure
Items excluded—Gold/platinum bullion and coins; items exempt from consumption tax

(JTA, JTA, JTA)

In the store: passport, pay, receipt

  1. Show your passport. (JTA)
  2. Pay the tax-inclusive price. (JTA)
  3. Register a refund method. The shop guides you through this at the time of sale. Options (bank transfer, card, app or airport cash) differ by shop. (JTA, JTA, National Tax Agency)
  4. Keep the receipt (see below).

Customs may ask to see the goods, and tax and penalties can apply if you don't take them out of Japan. (JTA)

At the airport: terminal, check, refund

  1. Go to the tax-free terminal before baggage drop. Afterward, it's too late. (Kagawa Prefecture, Osaka Customs)
  2. Scan your passport at the kiosk or electronic terminal. (JTA)
  3. Read the result. Green: finished. Red: go to the customs inspection area and show the items. (Osaka Customs)
  4. Receive the refund through the method you registered. (JTA)

Smartphone option: at seven airports, including Narita, Haneda and Kansai, you can use Visit Japan Web on your phone in the departure lobby's customs Wi-Fi area (before security). (Kagawa Prefecture)

The receipt rule: customs confirms per purchase record (one sale = one receipt). If even one item on a receipt isn't with you, none of the items on that receipt can be confirmed. (JTA)

Who qualifies

Foreign nationals: non-residents who entered Japan less than 6 months ago (diplomatic, official and US forces status excepted), such as Temporary Visitors. (JTA)

What you should actually do

What the official sources don't say yet

  • Food and drinks at 8%: these items (excluding alcohol and dining out) carry 8% tax, and official pages don't spell out the refund for that case. Check the amount shown when you register. (National Tax Agency)
  • Cash at the airport: yen only. Some shops don't support it, and at Narita kiosks before and after security serve different operators, so check that your receipt's operator is listed at your kiosk. (Narita Airport)

Official sources

Updated

Updated 2026-11-03 · Sources retrieved 2026-10-31 to 2026-11-03

Disclaimer

This article is general information, not tax or legal advice, and we can't answer individual tax or legal questions. Confirm details with the official sources, the shop, or its refund operator.

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