Tourists visiting Japan for a short duration can receive a tax exemption of 10% on sales/consumption tax when shopping at Tax Free designated stores.
You can enjoy tax-free shopping if you are
- Persons holding a foreign nationality who are NOT residents in Japan.
(Persons who hold Short-Term Stay, Diplomat, or Official status of residence.)
- Persons holding Japanese nationality who can provide documentary evidence** of continuous residence outside of Japan for at least 2 years.
**Residency certificate and Copy of the address history attached to the family register required.
All you have to do is to go to stores with the “Japan. Tax-Free Shop” sign and show your passport or show a 2D code you get from Visit Japan Web by registering your passport.
Stores may offer two methods for tax-free procedures:
(1) Presenting your passport at the time of purchase and paying the discounted amount with the consumption tax already deducted.
(2) Purchasing items at individual stores with consumption tax included, then visiting the designated tax refund counter on the same day, presenting purchased items, receipts, and passport for a refund. Note that there may be fees associated with this method.
Additionally, visiting the tax refund counter before shopping may sometimes entitle you to special coupons.
Items eligible for tax free shopping
Items eligible for tax exemption are those intended for personal use and consumption by non-residents, not for business or resale purposes, and must be taken out of the country.
In general, for “general merchandise” such as electronic appliances, clothing, bags, and watches, tax exemption is applied when the total purchase amount of items bought on the same day from one store exceeds ¥5,000 (excluding tax).
Additionally, department stores or shopping malls with a “Tax Refund Counter” allow for the combined total of purchases from multiple stores to qualify for tax exemption if the total exceeds ¥5,000. However, certain categories of items may not be eligible for tax exemption even if the threshold is met so it’s best you check with the shops at the time of shopping.
Consumable goods must be packed in dedicated bags (sealed with a seal that indicates tampering once opened) or cardboard boxes and must not be opened until they are taken out of Japan. Also, be mindful that generally, the purchases of consumable goods and general merchandise cannot be combined for tax exemption. You must meet the ¥5,000 threshold for consumable goods alone or ¥5,000 or more for general merchandise alone.
A few important notes:
– Tax-free shopping may not be possible if entering Japan through automated entry gates without a stamped entry verifying the date of arrival. So do get a stamp with the entry date.
– Credit card transactions require the name on your passport to match the name on the credit card.
Japan offers a truly enjoyable shopping experience. We hope you will find things that make your trips extra special.