What you can't ship from Japan to Qatar
14 Japan Post import rules · verified · source: Japan Post
Short answer: Japan Post lists 10 item types that cannot be sent to Qatar and 4 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
- 4
- Carrier-wide rules
- 278
These are the destination rules Japan Post publishes for Qatar. 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
1 prohibited · 1 conditional
- Prohibited
Infectious substances or non-infectious substances (biological specimens)
Infectious substances and non-infectious substances, including substances for analytical testing, are prohibited from being sent to Qatar via Parcel and EMS. This covers both biological materials classified as infectious and those deemed non-infectious.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 30
- Conditional
Infectious substances or non-infectious substances
Infectious and non-infectious substances, including those intended for analytical testing, are conditionally permitted for shipment to Qatar only when they satisfy the conditions prescribed by the Universal Postal Convention.
Conditions and documents
- Substances meet the conditions prescribed by the Universal Postal Convention → permitted
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 30
Currency & valuables
2 prohibited
- Prohibited
Coins, Gold, etc.
Coins valued over £5 (excluding decorative coins), gold bullion, and processed/worked gold valued over £50 are prohibited from being shipped to Qatar via regular and parcel services. Decorative coins are exempt from the coin restriction.
Details and exceptions
- coin valued at £5 or under → not covered by this restriction
- coin is decorative → not covered by this restriction
- processed/worked gold valued at £50 or under → not covered by this restriction
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 71
- Prohibited
Counterfeit Currency
Counterfeit currency (imitation coins and banknotes) is prohibited from shipment to Qatar via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. This applies to all imitation monetary items regardless of form.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 49
Food
1 prohibited
- Prohibited
Meat and Fish (fresh, chilled, frozen, dried, salted, or brined; perishable foods liable to emit foul odors or leak liquids/oils)
All types of meat (fresh, chilled, and frozen only) and fish (fresh, chilled, frozen, dried, salted, or brined only) are prohibited. Perishable foodstuffs that may emit foul odors or leak liquids or oils are also prohibited.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 02
Weapons
1 prohibited
- Prohibited
Weapons, Ammunition, and Matches
Weapons and their parts, ammunition, and matches are prohibited from shipment to Qatar via regular, parcel, and EMS services. This prohibition covers the items themselves as well as component parts.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 93
Other items
5 prohibited · 3 conditional
- Prohibited
Articles contrary to public order and morals
Printed matter, paintings, photographs, cards, and other articles contrary to public order and morals are prohibited from being shipped to Qatar. Counterfeit postage stamps and items used to counterfeit postage stamps are also prohibited.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 49
- Prohibited
Liquids
Liquid products are prohibited for shipment to Qatar via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. This restriction applies to liquid items in general.
- Prohibited
Malodorous substances
Items that emit foul or offensive odors are prohibited from shipment to Qatar via regular mail, parcel, and EMS services. No exceptions or conditions are stated in the source.
- Prohibited
Pearls
Pearls, including cultured pearls and artificial/imitation pearls, are prohibited from being shipped to Qatar via regular mail, parcel, and EMS. Both natural-style cultured pearls and synthetic imitation pearls fall under this restriction.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 71
- Prohibited
Powder
Powder (in powder form) is prohibited from being shipped to Qatar via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. No further details or exceptions are specified in the source.
- Conditional
Carbon Paper
Carbon paper is conditionally permitted for shipment to Qatar, provided it is wax-coated and contains no oils or oxidizable fatty substances. Acceptance is limited to items declared on the CN23 customs declaration form with the specific French phrase confirming these properties.
Conditions and documents
- Wax-coated and contains no oils or oxidizable fatty substances, AND the CN23 customs declaration bears the description 'Papier carbone recouvert de cire et ne contenant aucune substance huileuse ou grasse oxydable' → permitted
Documents: CN23 customs declaration form bearing the description 'Papier carbone recouvert de cire et ne contenant aucune substance huileuse ou grasse oxydable'
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 48
- Conditional
Registered ordinary mail items
Valuables are permitted only when sent as registered ordinary mail. Shipment by any other mail type is not allowed.
Conditions and documents
- sent as registered ordinary mail → permitted
- Conditional
Waxed or lacquered articles
Waxed or lacquered articles are conditionally permitted for shipment to Qatar. They must be accompanied by documentation certifying that the articles were dried in a drying room at 140°F for at least 8 hours and were manufactured at least one month prior to shipment.
Conditions and documents
- Dried in a drying room at 140°F for at least 8 hours AND manufactured at least 1 month before shipment, with documentation certifying both → permitted
Documents: Certificate confirming the articles were dried in a drying room at 140°F (approximately 60°C) for at least 8 hours; Certificate confirming the articles were manufactured at least one month prior to shipment
Applies to every destination, including Qatar
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 Qatar?
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 Qatar?
- Japan Post's import rules for Qatar prohibit 10 item types, including Malodorous substances; Liquids; Articles contrary to public order and morals; Coins, Gold, etc.; Pearls; Infectious substances or non-infectious substances (biological specimens); Weapons, Ammunition, and Matches; Powder; 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 Qatar only under conditions?
- 4 item types are allowed only when Japan Post's stated conditions are met — for example Carbon Paper; Waxed or lacquered articles; Registered ordinary mail items; Infectious substances or non-infectious substances. 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 Qatar?
- Not necessarily. This page lists the import rules Japan Post publishes for Qatar; 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.