If you buy things in Japan on or after 1 November 2026, the shop will charge the full price with tax, and you claim the tax back when you leave Japan. Korea is different. Many Korean shops still take the tax off at the till. This page says what changes in Japan, how the airport step works, and how Korea compares. Checked on 11 October 2026.
What changes in Japan on 1 November 2026
Hours: Purchases made through 31 October 2026 follow the old rules. Purchases from 1 November 2026 follow the new refund method (JNTO post, 20 July 2026; Japan Tourism Agency page)
Note: You pay the tax-inclusive price at the shop. After customs confirms the goods are leaving Japan, you receive an amount equal to the consumption tax (JNTO)
Note: Not checked: the exact refund fees. The Japan Tourism Agency page says each shop or its refund company pays the refund and tells you to ask the shop. Fees may differ by shop
The change is aimed at stopping people who buy tax-free and then resell in Japan. That reason comes from travel press, not from the agency page we read. For you, it means one extra step at the airport.
The rules that stay and the rules that change
| Rule | Before 1 Nov 2026 | From 1 Nov 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Where you get the tax back | At the till or the shop's tax-free counter | At departure, after customs checks the goods |
| Minimum spend | 5,000 yen before tax, same store, same day | The same |
| Time limit | Different rules, not checked here | Finish customs within 90 days of purchase |
| Special packaging for consumables | Required | Removed |
| 500,000 yen cap on consumables | Applied | Reported as removed (see note below) |
The 500,000 yen cap removal comes from japan-guide.com and a Japanese tax-advice blog. The Japan Tourism Agency page we read did not mention the cap, so treat that one row as less certain.
At the airport: steps in order
Getting there: In the international departure lobby, before you check bags, scan your passport at a tax-free terminal. A customs inspection area is next to it (Japan Tourism Agency; JNTO)
Note: A green result means you are done. A red result means you take the goods to the customs inspection area (JNTO)
Note: At the larger airports you can start online on the Visit Japan Web site (vjw.digital.go.jp) before security (JNTO)
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Keep every tax-free item in your hand luggage until customs has looked at the receipt.
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Scan your passport at the terminal in the departure lobby, before bag check-in.
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If the result is red, show the goods at the customs counter.
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Finish before boarding. JNTO says customs and airlines will not pay you back if you run out of time.
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Collect the refund the way your shop set up. We could not confirm what the options are at each shop.
If you leave Japan by ferry, the Japan Tourism Agency page says terminals and customs checks are also at seaports. We did not check which ports have them. Our ferry guide covers the Busan to Fukuoka route, linked at the end of this page.
Two ways this can go wrong
JNTO says customs checks each receipt on its own. If one item on a receipt is missing, the whole receipt is not refunded. So do not put a gift for a friend, or a snack you may eat, on the same receipt as the things you will carry out.
The agency page also says that if goods are not exported after the check, the tax is collected and penalties can apply. And food or cosmetics you used in Japan cannot be refunded. Say so to the officer.
How Korea compares
Price: Minimum ₩15,000 per purchase. The instant refund at the till covers a single payment of ₩15,000 or more and under ₩1,000,000, with total trip spending of ₩5,000,000 or less (Korea Tourism Organization, VisitKorea)
Hours: You must leave Korea within three months of the purchase. Items must be new and unused. The stay in Korea must be under six months (VisitKorea)
Getting there: At Incheon, show goods and receipts to customs for the export stamp before you check bags, then use the refund counter or kiosk. Cash refunds are paid after security. Card refunds can take one to two months (VisitKorea)
| Japan, from 1 Nov 2026 | Korea | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax off at the till | No | Yes, at shops with the instant refund |
| Minimum | 5,000 yen before tax, per store per day | ₩15,000 per purchase |
| Time limit | 90 days to finish customs | Leave within 3 months |
| Airport step | Passport scan, then customs if red, before bag check | Customs stamp if needed, then refund counter |
| Goods in hand luggage | Yes, until the check is done | Yes, until customs has looked |
The biggest difference is when you get the money. In Korea, an instant refund takes the tax off the bill. In Japan after 1 November, you wait until you leave. Our Korea guide, linked below, has the steps and the shops.
If you go to both countries
Keep the two countries' receipts in separate folders, and keep the goods in your hand luggage for both. In Japan, finish the scan before you check bags. In Korea, plan extra time at Incheon. The allowances for what you bring into Korea are in our customs guide, linked below.
What is checked here and what is not
Checked on 11 October 2026: the 1 November 2026 start date, the 5,000 yen minimum, the 90-day window, the terminal location and the green and red result (Japan Tourism Agency page and the JNTO post of 20 July 2026), and Korea's ₩15,000 minimum, instant refund limits and three-month rule (VisitKorea).
Not checked: Japanese refund fees and how each shop pays, the removal of the 500,000 yen consumables cap (secondary sources only), which seaports have terminals, queue times at departure, and whether the Japanese agencies change details before 1 November. Traveller reports are not included. For Japan, read the Japan Tourism Agency page again in the week you fly.
