Understanding CBD Import Regulations by MHLW
This document provides comprehensive guidance on the importation of CBD products, including CBD oil, and outlines the necessary steps and documentation required by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. It is crucial for importers to adhere to these regulations to avoid legal repercussions under the Cannabis Control Act.
Original text released by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (Japanese)：https://www.ncd.mhlw.go.jp/dl_data/cbd/guidecbd.pdf
Translation: ASAYAKE Inc.
For Those Considering Importing CBD Products Such as CBD Oil
Responses from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare regarding whether the items fall under "cannabis" will be based solely on the submitted documents. This does not confirm that the items intended for import do not fall under "cannabis". Furthermore, documents submitted to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare may need to be resubmitted to customs or the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare when actually importing the items.
Therefore, even if the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare responds that the items do not fall under "cannabis", there is a possibility of being punished under the Cannabis Control Act if THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is detected during customs or Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare inspections upon importation.
As "cannabis" is also prohibited for export, if THC is detected in the aforementioned inspections, the items cannot be returned to the originating country.
Regarding Procedures
These procedures should be carried out by the importer.
Inquiries are accepted only via email, and inquiries by phone are generally not accepted. In the email, please include the importer's name (or the name of the company if the importer is a company) and contact telephone number in the body of the email, and attach all the documents listed in 3 below to an email addressed to the contact email address provided.
Please note that large attachments may not be received, so if the attachments are large, please send multiple emails with the files compressed into zip format.
We will contact you at the provided contact telephone number once the documents have been confirmed. However, if there are any deficiencies in the submitted documents, it may take some time to respond, so please check the documents for any deficiencies before submission.
Contact Information
Department in Charge: Narcotics Control Division, Kanto-Shinetsu Health and Welfare Bureau.
Email Address: CHECKCBD●mhlw.go.jp (Please replace ● with @ to prevent spam)
Regulations Regarding Cannabis
CBD Products
1
Definition
CBD products extracted or manufactured from parts other than mature cannabis stalks or seeds (leaves, flower heads, branches, roots, etc.) are considered "cannabis".
2
Importability
However, it cannot be confirmed whether CBD products, regardless of whether they are extracted or manufactured from cannabis, contain trace amounts of THC, a component derived from cannabis, so they are generally not importable. Additionally, chemically synthesized THC is regulated as a "narcotic" under the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act, so it is generally not importable.
3
Permissible Importation
Importation of "cannabis" is only possible with permission from the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare if conducted by cannabis researchers. Importation of "narcotics" is only possible under certain conditions, such as when conducted by narcotics importers with permission from the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare.
4
Penalties
Importing, possessing, transferring, or receiving CBD products that fall under "cannabis" may result in penalties.
5
Chemically Synthesized CBD
Chemically synthesized CBD is not subject to regulation, but confirmation that it is not "cannabis" may be requested upon importation.
When Importing CBD Products
When importing CBD products, please submit the following documents to the contact listed under "Contact Information" by email each time before importing. (Refer to the contact email address under "Contact Information" for the email address to send the documents to.)
Based on the documents received before importing, we will determine whether the targeted CBD products fall under "cannabis" under the Cannabis Control Act.
Therefore, if there are any modifications or changes (including changes in lot numbers) to the submitted documents, please promptly submit the revised documents.
Required Documentation for CBD Product Importation
1
Pattern A
For CBD products made from mature cannabis stalks, submit Certificate, Ingredient Analysis Report, and Photographs of raw materials and manufacturing processes.
2
Pattern B
For CBD products not made from mature cannabis stalks, submit Certificate and Ingredient Analysis Report for products obtained by chemical synthesis.
3
Customs Notice
For postal items arriving from overseas, use "Pre-confirmation of CBD Products" as the email subject and provide customs office information, importer details, and product lot number.
Original translation ends here.
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