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- “You May Not Be Able to Give That Souvenir to Your Family or Friends in Japan” A product you purchased in an overseas country may be controlled under CITES
“You May Not Be Able to Give That Souvenir to Your Family or Friends in Japan” A product you purchased in an overseas country may be controlled under CITES
December 7, 2023
Some familiar products may be derived from animals or plants controlled under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). If you purchase in an overseas country a product that is derived from any animals or plants controlled under CITES, you may not be allowed to bring the product to Japan or you may be required to complete the necessary procedures. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) would like you to check in advance what products are subject to the control if you are planning to travel abroad during the year-end and New Year holidays or other occasions.
1. Examples of CITES-controlled souvenir products
*Notes:
- Prohibitions or regulations and other rules may differ among the countries of origin and export countries.
- In addition, you are required to complete certain procedures in advance for some products, such as those made from alligator or crocodile skin.
Tips for purchasing your souvenirs:
- Before purchasing, check with the shop to confirm if the product is derived from any CITES-controlled animals or plants.
- If so, request the shop to arrange a certificate of export permission (note that such certificate may not be required for some products).
- If the shop is not sure whether the product is a CITES-controlled one, METI recommends you stop purchasing the product at the shop and consider buying at another shop.
2. Check in advance the laws and regulations of the country you are visiting
*Note: If you intend to bring a CITES-controlled product as a souvenir from Japan to an overseas country, the laws and regulations of your destination country will apply to the product.
Check the laws and regulations of the destination country in advance since the regulations on the number or types of such souvenirs that you are bringing with you may vary from country to country.
If you visit an overseas country for sightseeing or business and purchase any product derived from CITES-controlled animals or plants, you may not be allowed to bring it to Japan or you may take longer for customs clearance due to not having completed the required procedure in advance. To avoid such situations, METI recommends you check in advance whether the products you plan to purchase in an overseas country as souvenirs or for use at home are subject to the CITES control.
On the METI website, you are able to confirm such information as whether the products you intend to purchase are subject to the CITES control, and if so, imports of the products are totally prohibited, or you may be able to bring them to Japan if you complete the required procedures in advance. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Trade Licensing for Wild Animal and Plants of the Trade and Economic Cooperation Bureau.
Related Links
- Information on souvenirs (imported goods) that you may intend to purchase overseas and bring to Japan (in Japanese)
- Leaflet for travelers to overseas countries (in Japanese)(PDF:2,607KB)
- CITES website
- Special arrangements for individual persons (souvenirs) (in Japanese)
Division in Charge
Office of Trade Licensing for Wild Animal and Plants, Trade and Economic Cooperation Bureau
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