What you can't ship from Japan to Eritrea
14 Japan Post import rules · verified · source: Japan Post
Short answer: Japan Post lists 7 item types that cannot be sent to Eritrea and 7 that can be sent only under conditions. Separately, Japan Post applies 278 carrier-wide rules to every destination, covering dangerous goods and items banned from international mail — perfume, aerosols and lithium batteries among them. Rules last verified against Japan Post on August 1, 2026.
- Prohibited
- 7
- Conditional
- 7
- Carrier-wide rules
- 278
These are the destination rules Japan Post publishes for Eritrea. They do not repeat the items Japan Post refuses to every country — those are on one shared page, linked below. A rule marked conditional allows the item only when the stated conditions hold; whether your product qualifies is what the ShipMate GO app works out before you book.
Plants & animals
1 prohibited · 2 conditional
- Prohibited
Live animals
Live animals are prohibited for parcel shipment to Eritrea, except for honeybees, leeches, and silkworms, and except for parasites and predatory insects used for pest control that are exchanged between recognized facilities.
Details and exceptions
- Honeybees, leeches, or silkworms → permitted
- Parasites and predatory insects used for pest control and exchanged between recognized facilities → permitted
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 01
- Conditional
Live animals, foodstuffs, and related items (conditional)
Live animals and their products, prepared foods and beverages, used clothing, and medicines are permitted for shipment to Eritrea only with prior authorization from the relevant authority (Ministère de la santé publique). No other conditions are stated in the source.
Conditions and documents
- Authorization obtained from the relevant authority (Ministère de la santé publique) → permitted
Documents: Authorization from the relevant authority (Ministère de la santé publique)
- Conditional
Seeds
Plant seeds are conditionally permitted to Eritrea via regular mail and parcel post. Importation is allowed only when authorization has been obtained from Eritrea's Ministry of Agriculture.
Conditions and documents
- Authorization obtained from the Ministry of Agriculture of Eritrea (Ministere de l'agriculture) → permitted
Documents: Authorization from the Ministry of Agriculture of Eritrea (Ministere de l'agriculture)
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 12
Currency & valuables
2 prohibited
- Prohibited
Banknotes
Banknotes are prohibited from being shipped to Eritrea via regular shipping. This restriction applies to paper currency in banknote form.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 49
- Prohibited
Banknotes and Coins
Banknotes and coins are prohibited from being sent to Eritrea by parcel. This applies to all currency in the form of paper notes and coins.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 49
Chemicals
1 conditional
- Conditional
Dangerous goods (radioactive and similar)
Radioactive substances and similarly dangerous goods are permitted only when sent to an authorized institution for medical purposes via parcel post or registered ordinary mail. All other shipments of such goods are not allowed.
Conditions and documents
- Sent to an authorized institution for medical purposes via parcel post or registered ordinary mail → permitted
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 28
Medicine & supplements
1 conditional
- Conditional
Narcotics
Narcotics such as opium, morphine, and cocaine are only permitted when sent by parcel post or registered mail to an authorized institution for scientific or medical purposes.
Conditions and documents
- Sent for scientific or medical purposes to an authorized institution via parcel post or registered mail → permitted
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 29
Tobacco
1 conditional
- Conditional
Tobacco
Tobacco is conditionally permitted for shipment to Eritrea via regular and parcel services. It is only allowed when the shipper has obtained authorization from Eritrea's tobacco monopoly authority (Monopole des tabacs).
Conditions and documents
- Authorization obtained from Eritrea's tobacco monopoly authority (Monopole des tabacs) → permitted
Documents: Authorization from Eritrea's tobacco monopoly authority (Monopole des tabacs)
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 24
Weapons
1 prohibited
- Prohibited
Weapons, Explosives, and Ammunition
Weapons, explosives, and ammunition are prohibited from being shipped to Eritrea via parcel. No exceptions are stated in the source.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 93
Other items
3 prohibited · 2 conditional
- Prohibited
Articles contrary to public order
Items that are contrary to public order are prohibited from shipping to Eritrea via regular mail. This includes articles bearing obscene impressions, photographs, or illustrations, as well as obscene, defamatory, or riot-inciting written works, audio recordings, and cassettes.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 49
- Prohibited
Articles contrary to public order (obscene or immoral goods)
Items that are obscene or immoral, including publications containing obscene content, are prohibited from shipment to Eritrea by parcel. This covers indecent materials and any printed matter bearing obscene descriptions or imagery.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 49
- Prohibited
Dutiable goods not complying with import/export regulations
Dutiable goods that do not comply with applicable import/export regulations are prohibited for parcel shipment to Eritrea. Sera, vaccines, and urgently needed medicines are exempt from this requirement.
Details and exceptions
- Goods are sera, vaccines, or urgently needed medicines → exempt from import/export regulation compliance requirement
- Conditional
Cassette Tapes and Similar Media (Books and Magazines)
Cassette tapes, video tapes, books, and magazines may only be shipped to Eritrea if prior authorization has been obtained from the destination country's Ministry of Information and National Education. Shipments without such permission are not permitted.
Conditions and documents
- Authorization obtained from Eritrea's Ministry of Information and National Education (Ministere de l'information et de l'education nationale) → permitted
Documents: Authorization from the Ministry of Information and National Education of Eritrea (Ministere de l'information et de l'education nationale)
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 49
- Conditional
Goods (value exceeding 50 Birr)
Goods with a value exceeding 50 Birr may only be shipped to Eritrea if authorization has been obtained from the National Bank of the destination country. Shipments valued at 50 Birr or under are not subject to this condition.
Conditions and documents
- Value exceeds 50 Birr AND authorization has been obtained from the National Bank of Eritrea → permitted
- Value exceeds 50 Birr WITHOUT authorization from the National Bank of Eritrea → prohibited
Documents: Authorization from the National Bank of Eritrea
Applies to every destination, including Eritrea
Japan Post applies 278 carrier-wide rules to every country on top of the rules above — outright bans on dangerous goods such as perfume, aerosols and lighters, and conditions on items such as lithium batteries.
Not sure about a specific item for Eritrea?
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
- What can't I ship from Japan to Eritrea?
- Japan Post's import rules for Eritrea prohibit 7 item types, including Dutiable goods not complying with import/export regulations; Banknotes; Banknotes and Coins; Articles contrary to public order; Articles contrary to public order (obscene or immoral goods); Live animals; Weapons, Explosives, and Ammunition. On top of these, Japan Post refuses dangerous goods such as perfume, aerosols and loose lithium batteries to every destination.
- Which items can be shipped to Eritrea only under conditions?
- 7 item types are allowed only when Japan Post's stated conditions are met — for example Cassette Tapes and Similar Media (Books and Magazines); Tobacco; Dangerous goods (radioactive and similar); Seeds; Goods (value exceeding 50 Birr); Live animals, foodstuffs, and related items (conditional); Narcotics. Whether a specific product qualifies depends on the item, which is what the ShipMate GO app checks before you book.
- Does an item that isn't listed here ship freely to Eritrea?
- Not necessarily. This page lists the import rules Japan Post publishes for Eritrea; an item that isn't named has no specific rule here, but it may still fall under Japan Post's carrier-wide bans or a general category such as food or medicine. Check the exact item in the ShipMate GO app, which reads these rules live and asks the follow-up questions a conditional rule needs.