The one-line summary
Today, tax-free shops sell to you without consumption tax at the register. From Nov 1, 2026, you pay the full tax-included price, and the tax is refunded after customs confirms you're exporting the goods. This is often called "pay first, refund later."
Old system vs new system
| Topic | Old (through Oct 31, 2026) | New (from Nov 1, 2026) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| When you get the discount | Instantly at the register (sold tax-free) | Refunded after customs confirms export | Confirmed |
| General vs consumable split | Two categories with different rules | Abolished — one category | Confirmed |
| Consumables spending cap | ¥500,000 / day | Abolished — no upper limit | Confirmed |
| Special sealed packaging | Required for consumables | Abolished | Confirmed |
| Minimum spend | ¥5,000 tax-excluded, per store per day | Same — ¥5,000, now combined across all items | Confirmed |
| Excluded items | Gold bullion etc. | Still excluded; more may be added if abused | Confirmed |
| Customs deadline | 6 months (general) / 30 days (consumables) | Single 90-day rule from purchase | Confirmed |
| High-value items | — | ≥ ¥1,000,000 pre-tax: shop reports serial / brand / model | Confirmed |
| Handling fee | Some department stores deduct ~1.55% | Likely continues, but each operator's fee is not set | Unconfirmed |
| Refund method | N/A (discount at register) | Card / cash / transfer / app — varies by shop | Unconfirmed |
| Airport kiosks | Customs desk in restricted area | Kiosks in the general departure area; counts not disclosed | Unconfirmed |
The airport flow, step by step
You do this on your departure day, before you fly out of Japan. Only a passport is needed — Japan's tax-free records are fully digital, so unlike Europe you do not feed receipts into the machine.
- Keep your tax-free purchases in your carry-on. If you check them in first, customs can't confirm the export and you lose the refund.
- At a tax-free kiosk in the departure area, scan your passport.
- The kiosk shows GREEN (all done — head to your gate) or RED (go to the customs counter and show the goods).
- After export is confirmed, the shop or its refund agent pays your consumption-tax refund by your chosen method.
Unconfirmed Kiosk locations and counts per airport, online processing via Visit Japan Web, and auto-check-in-machine integration are still being finalized. Expect queues near launch.
Why you might get back less than 10%
Two things can shrink the refund below the headline 10%:
- Handling fee. Some stores (notably department stores) deduct around 1.55% of the pre-tax price. Standard shops usually charge nothing. Unconfirmed for the new system.
- Currency conversion (DCC). If a card refund is converted to your home currency, you can lose another 3–5% to an unfavorable rate. Ask to be refunded in JPY. More on why this hurts high-value buys →
Get the confirmed details before you fly
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