What you can't ship from Japan to Saudi Arabia
15 Japan Post import rules · verified · source: Japan Post
Short answer: Japan Post lists 13 item types that cannot be sent to Saudi Arabia and 2 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
- 2
- Carrier-wide rules
- 278
These are the destination rules Japan Post publishes for Saudi Arabia. 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.
Medicine & supplements
2 prohibited · 1 conditional
- Prohibited
Medicines / Pharmaceuticals (without prescription)
Medicines and pharmaceutical products are prohibited for shipment to Saudi Arabia unless accompanied by a prescription issued by a competent authority. Shipments lacking such a prescription are not permitted.
Details and exceptions
- prescription issued by a competent authority is attached → permitted
Documents: Prescription issued by a competent authority
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 30
- Prohibited
Narcotics
Narcotics are prohibited from shipment to Saudi Arabia via regular mail, parcel, and EMS. This includes opium, morphine, cocaine, and other narcotic drugs.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 29
- Conditional
Medicines, Pharmaceuticals, and Related Products
Medicines, pharmaceuticals, plant-derived products, and food intended for medical purposes require prior approval from the General Food and Medicine Authority of Saudi Arabia before shipment. Packages containing these items without prior approval will be returned to the sender.
Conditions and documents
- Prior approval obtained from the General Food and Medicine Authority of Saudi Arabia → permitted
- No prior approval from the General Food and Medicine Authority of Saudi Arabia → returned to sender
Documents: Prior approval from the General Food and Medicine Authority of Saudi Arabia (import.drug@sfda.gov.sa)
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 30
Food
2 prohibited
- Prohibited
Beef
Beef and beef products are prohibited from being shipped to Saudi Arabia via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. This restriction applies to all forms of beef products.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 02
- Prohibited
Soybeans and soybean products
Soybeans and products manufactured using soybeans as an ingredient are prohibited from being shipped to Saudi Arabia via regular, parcel, and EMS services. This restriction covers both raw soybeans and any processed or manufactured soybean-derived products.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 12
Alcohol
1 prohibited
- Prohibited
Alcohol and Alcoholic Beverages
Alcohol and alcoholic beverages are prohibited from being shipped to Saudi Arabia via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. No exceptions are indicated.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 22
Chemicals
1 prohibited
- Prohibited
Chemical substances etc. (fire extinguishing products and liquid chemical substances)
Fire extinguishing products and liquid chemical substances are prohibited from shipment to Saudi Arabia via regular mail, parcel, and EMS. This applies to both firefighting/suppression products and liquid chemicals in general.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 38
Currency & valuables
1 prohibited
- Prohibited
Valuables
Valuables are prohibited from shipment to Saudi Arabia via regular and parcel services. This includes coins, banknotes, currency, bearer securities, traveler's checks, platinum, gold, silver (worked or unworked), pearls, gemstones, and other precious items.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 71
Plants & animals
1 conditional
- Conditional
Fungi
Fungi are conditionally permitted for shipment to Saudi Arabia via Regular and EMS services. A permit issued by the competent authority must accompany the shipment.
Conditions and documents
- Permit issued by the competent authority is attached → permitted
Documents: Permit issued by the competent authority
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 06
Weapons
1 prohibited
- Prohibited
Weapons, Ammunition, and Matches
Weapons, ammunition, war materials, primed metallic cartridges and cases for portable firearms, non-explosive artillery fuse components, and matches are prohibited from shipment to Saudi Arabia via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. This prohibition covers all such items as listed.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 93
Other items
5 prohibited
- Prohibited
Articles contrary to Islamic teachings
Items that are contrary to Islamic teachings are prohibited from being shipped to Saudi Arabia via regular mail, parcel, and EMS services. No further specification of individual article types is provided in the source.
- Prohibited
Hashish
Hashish is prohibited from shipment to Saudi Arabia via regular mail, parcel, and EMS. This restriction applies regardless of quantity or form.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 29
- Prohibited
Items contrary to public order and morality
Books, paintings, printed materials, and other items that are contrary to public order and morality are prohibited from being shipped to Saudi Arabia via regular mail, parcel, and EMS. This covers a broad range of publications and printed goods deemed offensive to public order or moral standards.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 49
- Prohibited
Letters enclosed in obscene envelopes
Letters enclosed in envelopes bearing obscene content that contravenes Islamic law and doctrine are prohibited from being shipped to Saudi Arabia. This prohibition applies across regular mail, parcel, and EMS shipping types.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 49
- Prohibited
Signal boosters and repeater antennas for mobile phones
Signal boosters and repeater antennas for mobile phones are prohibited when exported by individuals or unlicensed mobile phone providers. This restriction applies across regular, parcel, and EMS shipping types.
Details and exceptions
- Exported by an individual or unlicensed mobile phone provider → prohibited
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 85
Applies to every destination, including Saudi Arabia
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 Saudi Arabia?
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 Saudi Arabia?
- Japan Post's import rules for Saudi Arabia prohibit 13 item types, including Alcohol and Alcoholic Beverages; Items contrary to public order and morality; Hashish; Letters enclosed in obscene envelopes; Medicines / Pharmaceuticals (without prescription); Chemical substances etc. (fire extinguishing products and liquid chemical substances); Articles contrary to Islamic teachings; Valuables; 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 Saudi Arabia only under conditions?
- 2 item types are allowed only when Japan Post's stated conditions are met — for example Medicines, Pharmaceuticals, and Related Products; Fungi. 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 Saudi Arabia?
- Not necessarily. This page lists the import rules Japan Post publishes for Saudi Arabia; 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.