What happens in each case
| Situation | What happens | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| You left Japan without the customs check | No refund for those receipts: the refund is paid only after customs confirms the goods left with you | Nothing after departure. The check cannot be done from abroad. |
| You checked in your bags before the kiosk | Checked bags cannot be taken back. If the kiosk then shows red, you cannot show the goods and that receipt is not refunded | Always do the kiosk or the online check before bag drop |
| The kiosk shows red | Not a refusal: a customs officer has to see the goods | Take the goods and your passport to the customs counter |
| You used or no longer have an item from a receipt | Nothing on that receipt is refunded | Tell the customs officer instead of using the kiosk |
| You took cash in town (for example at a Yodobashi refund counter) and then skipped the check | The amount paid in advance is charged to the credit card you registered | Complete the customs check when you leave |
| More than 90 days after the purchase | No refund | Leave Japan and do the check within 90 days of buying |
| You connect to an international flight from a domestic one | The check is done at the last airport you leave Japan from | Do it there, before checking in for the international flight |
How to avoid losing the refund
Keep each receipt’s goods together
Customs checks per receipt. Pack everything from one receipt in your carry-on or in a bag you have not checked in yet, and do not use food or cosmetics before you leave.
Go to the kiosk first
Kiosks stand in the international departure lobby before bag drop. At Narita, Haneda, Kansai, Chubu, Fukuoka, New Chitose and Naha you can also do the check on your phone through Visit Japan Web on the airport’s dedicated Wi-Fi.
Green: check in. Red: go to the counter
Green means the check is done and you can check in your bags. Red means an officer will look at the goods; it does not mean you lose the refund.
Make sure the refund company has your details
The refund is paid only after the customs check and your registration with the refund company are both complete. Register your passport and refund method before you leave if you can.
Goods confirmed by customs must leave Japan
If customs has confirmed goods as leaving Japan and you do not actually take them out, the consumption tax is collected and penalties can apply, the Japan Tourism Agency warns.