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Old vs New: Full Comparison
| Until Oct 31, 2026 | From Nov 1, 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| At the register | Tax-exclusive price | Tax-inclusive price |
| General goods vs consumables | Separate categories | Abolished — counted together |
| Consumables cap / special packaging | ¥500,000 cap, sealed bag | Abolished (carry-out quantity limit) |
| Business-use check | Yes | Abolished |
| Minimum | ¥5,000 | ¥5,000 (unchanged) |
| Excluded | Business/resale goods, gold/platinum bullion, non-taxable items | Gold/platinum bullion, gold/platinum coins, non-taxable items |
| Japanese living abroad: documents | Passport + 戸籍の附票 or 在留証明 (with 本籍) | + My Number card option; 本籍 not needed |
| After departure | — | Shop refunds after customs confirmation |
→ Estimate your refund with the free calculator · Departure checklist · All guides
Planning a Japan trip after Nov 1, 2026?
- Tax-Free Refund Field Guide ($7) — a step-by-step English guide to the new refund process, from shop to airport.
- Japan Trip Planner Pack ($9) — planning templates for a first Japan trip.
- Tax-Free Receipt Tracker 2026 (from $5) — spreadsheet that flags the ¥5,000 minimum, 90-day deadline and estimated refund per shop/day.
Paid products by GuroWorks, the publisher of this free site (advertisement for our own products). 14-day refund on Gumroad for the guide. The calculator stays free.
Related guides
Official sources
Rules checked October 30, 2026 (JST). Rules can change; always confirm with the official pages and your shop.
- Japan Tourism Agency — Old vs new comparison table (PDF, Japanese): www.mlit.go.jp
- Japan Tourism Agency — Refund Method for travelers (Japanese): www.mlit.go.jp