What you can't ship from Japan to French Polynesia
13 Japan Post import rules · verified · source: Japan Post
Short answer: Japan Post lists 10 item types that cannot be sent to French Polynesia and 3 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
- 10
- Conditional
- 3
- Carrier-wide rules
- 278
These are the destination rules Japan Post publishes for French Polynesia. 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
2 prohibited · 1 conditional
- Prohibited
Soil
Soil and compost are prohibited from being shipped to French Polynesia via regular mail and parcel services. Both unprocessed soil and composted materials are covered by this restriction.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 31
- Prohibited
Specified Plants
The following plants are prohibited from being shipped to French Polynesia via regular mail and parcel: palm trees, banana plants, sugarcane, cotton plants, cacao trees, and coffee trees. These six specific plant types are explicitly listed as prohibited items.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 06
- Conditional
Plants (excluding specified tropical species)
Plants, seeds, and seedlings are conditionally permitted to French Polynesia, provided they are not palm trees, banana plants, sugarcane, cotton, cacao trees, or coffee trees, and only when authorization has been obtained from the relevant authorities at the destination. The listed excluded species (palm, banana, sugarcane, cotton, cacao, coffee) are subject to this conditional permission framework as described.
Conditions and documents
- Plants, seeds, and seedlings other than palm trees, banana plants, sugarcane, cotton, cacao trees, and coffee trees → permitted only with authorization from the relevant authorities at the destination
Documents: Authorization from the relevant authorities at the destination (French Polynesia)
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 06
Alcohol
2 prohibited
- Prohibited
Absinthe
Absinthe is prohibited from being shipped to French Polynesia via regular shipping. This restriction applies to the alcoholic spirit known as absinthe.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 22
- Prohibited
Alcoholic beverages for appetite stimulation
Alcoholic beverages intended for appetite stimulation are prohibited from being shipped to French Polynesia via regular shipping. This restriction applies specifically to appetite-stimulating alcoholic drinks.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 22
Medicine & supplements
1 prohibited · 1 conditional
- Prohibited
Thermometers
Thermometers are prohibited for shipment to French Polynesia via regular shipping, unless they bear the official stamp of the French Conservatoire des arts et métiers (CNAM). Unstamped thermometers are not accepted.
Details and exceptions
- Thermometer bears the official stamp of the French Conservatoire des arts et métiers (CNAM) → permitted
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 90
- Conditional
Narcotics
Narcotics such as opium, morphine, and cocaine are only permitted when shipped for medical or scientific purposes and when the recipient has obtained authorization from the competent authorities at the destination. Both conditions must be met simultaneously.
Conditions and documents
- Shipped for medical or scientific purposes AND the recipient has obtained authorization from the competent authorities at the destination → permitted
Documents: Authorization from the competent authorities at the destination (held by the recipient)
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 29
Weapons
1 prohibited · 1 conditional
- Prohibited
Weapons and Ammunition
Weapons and ammunition, including firearms, gunpowder, and projectile ammunition, are prohibited from shipment to French Polynesia via regular and parcel shipping. This prohibition covers guns, explosive propellants, and related munitions.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 93
- Conditional
Hunting firearms
Hunting firearms are conditionally permitted for shipment to French Polynesia. They are allowed only when the recipient has obtained authorization from the relevant local authorities at the destination.
Conditions and documents
- Authorization obtained from the relevant authorities at the destination → permitted
Documents: Authorization from the relevant local authorities at the destination
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 93
Currency & valuables
1 prohibited
- Prohibited
Coins
Coins are prohibited from being shipped to French Polynesia via regular shipping. No exceptions or conditions are stated.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 71
Food
1 prohibited
- Prohibited
Canned goods without country of manufacture labeling
Canned goods that do not display the country of manufacture on their label are prohibited from shipment to French Polynesia via regular shipping. Unlabeled or insufficiently labeled canned products are not accepted.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 16
Other items
2 prohibited
- Prohibited
Counterfeit Trademark Goods
Goods bearing counterfeit trademarks are prohibited from shipment to French Polynesia via regular shipping. Items affixed with forged or fake trademark markings are not permitted.
- Prohibited
Registered ordinary mail containing valuables
Registered ordinary mail items that contain banknotes, bearer securities, traveler's checks, platinum, gold, or silver (worked or unworked), pearls, gemstones, or other valuables are prohibited for shipment to French Polynesia via regular mail. This prohibition applies to any such registered letter or parcel enclosing these high-value contents.
Applies to every destination, including French Polynesia
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 French Polynesia?
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 French Polynesia?
- Japan Post's import rules for French Polynesia prohibit 10 item types, including Absinthe; Canned goods without country of manufacture labeling; Alcoholic beverages for appetite stimulation; Coins; Registered ordinary mail containing valuables; Counterfeit Trademark Goods; Specified Plants; Thermometers; and 2 more. 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 French Polynesia only under conditions?
- 3 item types are allowed only when Japan Post's stated conditions are met — for example Hunting firearms; Plants (excluding specified tropical species); 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 French Polynesia?
- Not necessarily. This page lists the import rules Japan Post publishes for French Polynesia; 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.