What you can't ship from Japan to Greenland
22 Japan Post import rules · verified · source: Japan Post
Short answer: Japan Post lists 13 item types that cannot be sent to Greenland and 9 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
- 13
- Conditional
- 9
- Carrier-wide rules
- 278
These are the destination rules Japan Post publishes for Greenland. 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.
Chemicals
2 prohibited · 2 conditional
- Prohibited
Gas lighter
Gas lighters are prohibited from shipment to Greenland via regular mail and parcel services. This restriction covers gas-filled lighters as an item category.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 96
- Prohibited
Matches (non-safety matches / white phosphorus matches)
Non-safety matches, including white phosphorus matches, are prohibited from shipment to Greenland via regular mail and parcel services. Safety matches are not covered by this restriction.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 36
- Conditional
Hazardous substances (substances harmful to human health / capable of transmitting infectious disease)
Substances capable of transmitting infectious disease and substances harmful to human health are conditionally permitted to Greenland; they require prior authorization from the destination country's sanitary control authorities, unless addressed to an officially recognized institution in the destination country.
Conditions and documents
- Addressed to an officially recognized institution in the destination country → permitted without sanitary authority authorization
- Not addressed to an officially recognized institution in the destination country → requires prior authorization from the destination country's sanitary control authorities
Documents: Authorization from the destination country's sanitary control authorities (unless addressed to an officially recognized institution in the destination country)
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 38
- Conditional
PCBs and PCTs (Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Polychlorinated Terphenyls)
PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), PCTs (polychlorinated terphenyls), and articles containing them are conditionally permitted to Greenland, provided they meet the conditions established by the destination country. Shipment is only allowed when those conditions are satisfied.
Conditions and documents
- meets the conditions established by the destination country → permitted
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 29
Weapons
3 prohibited
- Prohibited
Bladed weapons / knives with blade length exceeding 12 cm
Bladed items with a blade length exceeding 12 centimetres are prohibited for shipment to Greenland via regular and parcel post. Items with blades of 12 centimetres or shorter are not covered by this prohibition.
Details and exceptions
- blade length exceeds 12 centimetres → prohibited
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 82
- Prohibited
Weapons
All weapons are prohibited from shipment to Greenland by parcel. This includes firearms, gun barrels, air rifles, airsoft guns, bladed weapons with a blade exceeding 12 centimetres, switchblades, push daggers, estocs, knuckledusters, clubs, and similar items.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 93
- Prohibited
Weapons and Ammunition
Weapons (including firearms, gun barrels, air rifles, airsoft guns, bladed weapons exceeding 12 cm, switchblades, push daggers, estocs, knuckledusters, clubs, and similar items), ammunition, and articles for manufacturing ammunition are prohibited from shipment to Greenland via regular shipping.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 93
Currency & valuables
1 prohibited · 1 conditional
- Prohibited
Currency and Similar Instruments
Items that could be mistaken for currency, postage stamps, other revenue stamps, securities, bearer bonds, share certificates, or their dividend coupons are prohibited for shipment to Greenland. This prohibition applies to both regular mail and parcel services.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 49
- Conditional
Securities and Monetary Instruments
Securities (stock certificates, bonds, and dividend coupons), currency, and banknotes may only be shipped if authorization has been obtained from Danmarks Nationalbank. Shipment is conditional on holding this permission.
Conditions and documents
- Authorization obtained from Danmarks Nationalbank (Denmark's National Bank) → permitted
Documents: Authorization from Danmarks Nationalbank
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 49
Food
1 prohibited · 1 conditional
- Prohibited
Poultry Meat
Poultry meat is prohibited from shipment to Greenland via regular mail and parcel services. This restriction applies to meat derived from poultry.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 02
- Conditional
Livestock products (margarine, butter, fat, meat, and other livestock products)
Margarine, butter, fat, meat, and other livestock products are conditionally permitted for shipment to Greenland, provided the sender has obtained authorization from the destination country's Ministry of Agriculture (Ministère de l'agriculture). Soft fat or canned meat sent as gift parcels are exempt from this requirement.
Conditions and documents
- Authorization obtained from the destination country's Ministry of Agriculture (Ministère de l'agriculture) → permitted
- Sent as a gift parcel containing soft fat or canned meat → permitted without Ministry of Agriculture authorization
Documents: Authorization from the destination country's Ministry of Agriculture (Ministère de l'agriculture)
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 02
Medicine & supplements
2 conditional
- Conditional
Narcotics
Narcotics such as opium, morphine, and cocaine are only permitted when sent for medical or scientific purposes and accompanied by special authorization from the public health authority of the destination country. Shipments not meeting both conditions are prohibited.
Conditions and documents
- Sent for medical or scientific purposes AND special authorization obtained from the public health authority of the destination country → permitted
Documents: Special authorization from the public health authority of the destination country (Greenland)
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 29
- Conditional
Pharmaceutical drugs / medicines
Pharmaceutical drugs intended for pharmacists are permitted only when addressed to a government-authorized institution in Greenland, and the quantity must not exceed a value equivalent to 100 krone (in the currency of the destination country). Shipments that do not meet both conditions are not permitted.
Conditions and documents
- Addressed to a government-authorized institution in Greenland AND value does not exceed 100 krone (destination currency equivalent) → permitted
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 30
Plants & animals
1 prohibited · 1 conditional
- Prohibited
Honeycombs (including artificial ones)
Honeycombs, including artificial honeycombs, are prohibited from being shipped to Greenland. This restriction applies to both regular mail and parcel services.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 04
- Conditional
Plants
A wide range of plants destined for Greenland — including plants for cultivation, bulbs, seeds for sowing, cut flowers, cut branches, fruits (excluding pineapple, coconut, durian, banana, and dates), vegetables, timber, and bark — require a phytosanitary certificate to be attached; importation is not permitted without the certificate. An export inspection by a plant protection station and an import permit from the destination country may also be required.
Conditions and documents
- Phytosanitary certificate is attached → Import permitted
- No phytosanitary certificate → Import not permitted
- Export inspection by plant protection station and/or import permit from destination country may be required (per Plant Protection Act, Act No. 151 of 1950) → Shipment may require additional authorization before export
Documents: Phytosanitary certificate; Export inspection by plant protection station (植物防疫所) (may be required); Import permit from destination country (may be required)
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 06
Alcohol
1 conditional
- Conditional
Alcohol (including wine)
Alcoholic beverages and wine may only be imported by companies that have obtained permission from Greenland's customs authorities. However, small quantities addressed to private individuals are permitted without special authorization.
Conditions and documents
- Imported by a company that has obtained permission from the customs authorities of the destination country → permitted
- Small quantity addressed to a private individual → permitted without special authorization
Documents: Permission from Greenland customs authorities (required for commercial importers)
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 22
Tobacco
1 prohibited
- Prohibited
Cigarettes
Cigarettes are prohibited from shipment to Greenland via regular mail and parcel services. This restriction applies to cigarettes as a specific form of tobacco.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 24
Other items
4 prohibited · 1 conditional
- Prohibited
Calendars without the University of Copenhagen calendar stamp
Calendars that do not bear the University of Copenhagen calendar stamp are prohibited for regular shipment to Greenland. An exception applies to calendars mailed personally to a single recipient, for which the calendar stamp is not required.
Details and exceptions
- Calendar is mailed personally to a single recipient → University of Copenhagen calendar stamp is not required
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 49
- Prohibited
Foreign Lottery Tickets and Related Materials / Horse Racing Tickets
Lottery tickets issued by countries other than Greenland, along with their advertisements and winning number lists, as well as horse racing betting tickets, are prohibited from shipment to Greenland via regular mail and parcel services.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 49
- Prohibited
Newspapers and other printed materials containing fraudulent merchandise advertisements
Newspapers and other printed materials that include promotional content for fraudulent merchandise sales are prohibited from shipment to Greenland via regular and parcel shipping. This restriction applies to any printed publication carrying such deceptive advertising content.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 49
- Prohibited
Seals / Stamps Resembling Customs Revenue Stamps
Seals or stamps resembling those used by the destination country's customs authorities for indicating duty collection are prohibited, as are the dies, plates, and tools used to manufacture such seals or stamps.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 96
- Conditional
Film
Film is conditionally permitted to Greenland via regular and parcel mail, provided it is packed in a sturdy wooden box and the mailpiece and invoice each bear a clearly visible label reading 'Films'.
Conditions and documents
- Packaging must be a sturdy wooden box → permitted
- The mailpiece and invoice each bear a clearly visible label reading 'Films' → permitted
Documents: Label clearly marked 'Films' affixed to the mailpiece; Label clearly marked 'Films' affixed to the invoice
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 37
Applies to every destination, including Greenland
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 Greenland?
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 Greenland?
- Japan Post's import rules for Greenland prohibit 13 item types, including Gas lighter; Calendars without the University of Copenhagen calendar stamp; Cigarettes; Honeycombs (including artificial ones); Matches (non-safety matches / white phosphorus matches); Seals / Stamps Resembling Customs Revenue Stamps; Currency and Similar Instruments; Newspapers and other printed materials containing fraudulent merchandise advertisements; and 5 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 Greenland only under conditions?
- 9 item types are allowed only when Japan Post's stated conditions are met — for example PCBs and PCTs (Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Polychlorinated Terphenyls); Alcohol (including wine); Film; Plants; Livestock products (margarine, butter, fat, meat, and other livestock products); Narcotics; Pharmaceutical drugs / medicines; Securities and Monetary Instruments; and 1 more. 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 Greenland?
- Not necessarily. This page lists the import rules Japan Post publishes for Greenland; 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.