Can I ship perfume from Japan?

Japan Post rules checked across 179 destinations · last verified · guide reviewed

Short answer: No. Japan Post refuses perfume and fragrance to every destination, by EMS, airmail and surface mail alike, because the alcohol base is a flammable liquid. Fragrance oils and mists are listed separately and accepted only when their flash point is above 60°C.

Perfume sits on Japan Post's carrier-wide list of dangerous goods. The rule applies before any destination's own import rules, so there is no country for which a ShipMate parcel can carry it. A few destinations list perfume in their own rules too, some as conditional; a destination's conditions never lift Japan Post's refusal.

The refusal is about the product, not the packaging: a sealed bottle, a sample vial or a gift set with perfume inside is refused the same way. Fragrance oils and mists have their own conditional rule: Japan Post accepts them only when the flash point is confirmed to be above 60°C and stated in the item description.

Whether a specific product can go in a specific parcel is decided per item: the ShipMate GO app asks the follow-up questions a rule needs and gives a verdict before anything is booked.

Japan Post's carrier-wide rules

These apply to every destination, before any country's own import rules.

  • Perfume / Fragrance

    Prohibited

    Perfume and fragrance products are prohibited across all international shipments regardless of destination, shipping type, or transport mode. This is a carrier-wide ban applying to both air and surface services.

    Source: Japan PostHS chapter 33On the full list

  • Fragrance Oil / Fragrance Mist

    Conditional

    Fragrance oils and fragrance mists may contain flammable liquids and are therefore subject to a conditional acceptance policy. Shipment is permitted provided the flash point exceeds 60°C, and this must be confirmed and stated in the item name field.

    • Flash point exceeds 60°C and this is confirmed and stated in the item name field — permitted

    Source: Japan PostHS chapter 33On the full list

Destinations with their own rule for perfume

5 of the 179 destinations Japan Post publishes rules for list perfume in their own import rules. Each row links to that destination's full list.

DestinationRuleLevelJapan Post's wording
CubaFragrances / Flavoring AgentsProhibitedFragrances and flavoring agents are prohibited from shipment to Cuba via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. No exceptions or conditions are stated. source
IndiaFragrances / Flavoring Substances (Import-Prohibited by Indian Law)ProhibitedFragrances and flavoring substances whose import is prohibited under Indian law may not be shipped to India via Regular, Parcel, or EMS services. Only those sp… source
Fragrances / Flavoring AgentsConditionalFragrances and flavoring agents are conditionally permitted to India; shipment is allowed only when the sender or recipient holds authorization from the Chief… source
TunisiaPerfumeProhibitedPerfume is prohibited from being shipped to Tunisia via regular mail, parcel, and EMS services. No exceptions or conditions are stated in the source. source
PeruCosmetics and PerfumeConditionalCosmetics and perfume may be shipped to Peru only when accompanied by an importer's affidavit stating either the sanitary registration number or the date of su… source
SwedenPerfumes, lotions, and other items containing alcoholConditionalPerfumes, colognes, toners, and other alcohol-containing cosmetic or toiletry items are conditionally permitted to Sweden. Shipment is allowed only when author… source
No destination-specific rule for perfume in the other 174 destinations

Japan Post's carrier-wide rules above still apply to each of them, and so does the destination's general customs law. No rule is not a statement that the item can be sent.

Not sure about a specific item?

This page lists Japan Post's rules. The ShipMate GO app checks your actual item against them, asks the one or two questions a conditional rule needs, and tells you the outcome before anything is charged. Sending a parcel from Japan? Booking is free and you pay once, after weighing. Shopping from abroad with Shop for Me? Anything that can't ship is dropped from your order before you pay for the goods.

Common questions

Why does Japan Post refuse perfume?
Perfume is an alcohol-based flammable liquid, which international mail treats as dangerous goods. Japan Post applies that rule to every destination and every service, so ShipMate cannot carry it on any lane.
Does a sealed, unopened bottle or a small tester change anything?
No. The rule names the product, not its size or seal. Testers, minis and gift sets containing perfume are refused in the same way.
Can Shop for Me buy perfume for me?
ShipMate checks every item against Japan Post's rules before it is bought. Perfume is removed from the order at that step, before payment, so you are not charged for an item that cannot ship.

Reading this page as a program or AI assistant?

The same rules are published in forms built for that. None of them needs an API key. An item that is not listed has no specific rule here, which is not the same as being allowed.

JSON
This guide is built from one JSON read per destination: https://www-api.shipmate.jp/restrictions/rules?destination_country={alpha-3}&scope=destination, plus scope=carrier_global. No API key is needed.
MCP
https://www-api.shipmate.jp/mcp, tool shipmate.get_restriction_rules

Site-wide guidance for agents is at /llms.txt.

Sources

Japan Post's page for each carrier-wide and destination rule above (8)
Tunisia
Perfume

Based on carrier-published restriction data. Final acceptance is decided by the carrier and destination customs; general import rules of the destination still apply.

Japan Post sets these rules; ShipMate publishes them and ships under them. Rule text is Japan Post's, translated and summarised, and every rule links to its source. The rule table refreshes daily; the written answer is reviewed by a person and dated above. Full carrier-wide list · All item guides