Glossary entry

Tax-free shopping

Tax-free shopping is a system for eligible short-term visitors to Japan that has allowed certain goods to be bought without Japanese consumption tax at the point of sale, at participating stores and with documents such as a passport. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, Japan is changing the system on 1 November 2026 to a refund when you leave the country. Conditions and goods categories change, so verify them with the official JNTO and National Tax Agency pages or the store. See also: consumption tax, JNTO, and the guide Tax-Free Shopping in Japan.