What you can't ship from Japan to South Africa
20 Japan Post import rules · verified · source: Japan Post
Short answer: Japan Post lists 9 item types that cannot be sent to South Africa and 11 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 October 1, 2026.
- Prohibited
- 9
- Conditional
- 11
- Carrier-wide rules
- 278
These are the destination rules Japan Post publishes for South Africa. 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.
Food
3 conditional
- Conditional
Animal Products
Certain animal products (bacon and ham not in sealed containers, all uncooked animal meat including dried meat and offal, animal hides, and all types of cheese) weighing more than 5 kilograms are conditionally permitted, provided that authorization has been obtained from the Director of Quarantine of the destination country; cheese is additionally exempt from this requirement when imported by the Dairy Board or a person authorized by it.
Conditions and documents
- weight exceeds 5 kg AND authorization obtained from the Director of Quarantine of the destination country → permitted
- cheese imported by the Dairy Board or a person authorized by the Dairy Board → permitted regardless of the quarantine director authorization requirement
Documents: Authorization from the Director of Quarantine of the destination country (for items exceeding 5 kg)
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 02
- Conditional
Honey and Related Beekeeping Products
Honey, honey products, pollen, beeswax, and used beekeeping equipment are conditionally permitted to South Africa only when prior authorization has been obtained from the Division of Plant and Seed Control. Shipments without this authorization are not allowed.
Conditions and documents
- Authorization obtained from the Division of Plant and Seed Control (destination country's competent authority) → permitted
Documents: Authorization from the Division of Plant and Seed Control (South Africa)
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 04
- Conditional
Yeast
Yeast may only be shipped to South Africa if accompanied by a permit issued by the Police Commissioner of the destination country.
Conditions and documents
- Permit issued by the Police Commissioner of the destination country is attached → permitted
Documents: Permit issued by the Police Commissioner of South Africa
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 21
Medicine & supplements
3 conditional
- Conditional
Containers holding biological medical products (sera, lymph fluids, lymph vaccines, blood products, and similar substances for human disease prevention)
Containers holding sera, lymph fluids, lymph vaccines, blood products, and similar substances for human disease prevention are conditionally accepted. Each container must bear a label stating the manufacturer's name and address, the date of manufacture, and the expiry date.
Conditions and documents
- Container bears a label stating the manufacturer's name and address, date of manufacture, and expiry date → permitted
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 30
- Conditional
Narcotics
Narcotics — including opium, morphine, and cocaine — are permitted only when sent for medical or scientific purposes and when authorisation has been obtained from the relevant authorities of the destination country.
Conditions and documents
- Sent for medical or scientific purposes AND authorisation obtained from the relevant authorities of the destination country → permitted
Documents: Authorisation from the relevant authorities of the destination country (South Africa)
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 29
- Conditional
Sera and Vaccines
Sera, vaccines, blood, blood products, and pathological microorganism cultures intended for humans are only permitted with authorization from the destination country's Minister of Public Health. Toxic substances, viruses, vaccines, lymph, sera, and materials capable of transmitting animal diseases intended for veterinary use are only permitted with authorization from the Minister of Agriculture.
Conditions and documents
- Sera, vaccines, blood, blood products, and pathological microorganism cultures for human use → Permitted only with authorization from the destination country's Minister of Public Health (Ministre de la sante publique)
- Toxic substances, viruses, vaccines, lymph, sera, and materials capable of transmitting animal diseases intended for veterinary/livestock use → Permitted only with authorization from the destination country's Minister of Agriculture (Ministre de l'agriculture)
Documents: Authorization from the Minister of Public Health (Ministre de la sante publique) — for human-use biological products; Authorization from the Minister of Agriculture (Ministre de l'agriculture) — for veterinary/livestock biological products
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 30
Weapons
1 prohibited · 1 conditional
- Prohibited
Gemstones, Precious Metals, and Ammunition
Diamonds, gemstones, currency, gold dust or gold bullion, and ammunition and fuses for firearms are prohibited from shipment to South Africa via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. These items may not be included in any shipment regardless of quantity or declared value.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 71
- Conditional
Weapons and ammunition (including imitation firearms)
Items that resemble genuine firearms in appearance or firing sound — including toy pistols — and their ammunition are permitted only if authorization has been obtained from the Commissioner of Police of the destination country.
Conditions and documents
- Authorization obtained from the Commissioner of Police of the destination country (South Africa) → permitted
Documents: Authorization from the Commissioner of Police of South Africa
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 93
Alcohol
1 conditional
- Conditional
Alcoholic Beverages
Alcoholic beverages are conditionally permitted for shipment to South Africa via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. A permit issued by the Administering Officer of the destination country must accompany the shipment.
Conditions and documents
- Permit issued by the Administering Officer of the destination country is attached → permitted
Documents: Permit issued by the Administering Officer (South Africa)
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 22
Books & printed matter
1 prohibited
- Prohibited
Printed matter containing advertisements or articles about treatments for sexual impotence or sexually transmitted diseases
Newspapers, documents, or books containing advertisements or articles about treatments for sexual impotence or sexually transmitted diseases are prohibited from being shipped to South Africa. This applies across regular mail, parcel, and EMS shipping services.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 49
Chemicals
1 prohibited
- Prohibited
Butane gas lighters (containing fuel) and their fuel
Lighters that use butane gas and their fuel are prohibited for shipment to South Africa via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. Empty (unfuelled) butane lighters are excluded from this prohibition.
Details and exceptions
- butane lighter contains no fuel (empty/unfuelled) → permitted
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 36
Currency & valuables
1 prohibited
- Prohibited
Registered ordinary mail containing valuables
Registered ordinary mail items containing coins, banknotes, currency, bearer securities, traveller's cheques, platinum, gold or silver (worked or unworked), pearls, gemstones, or other valuables are prohibited for regular shipments to South Africa. No such items may be enclosed within registered ordinary mail sent to this destination.
Plants & animals
1 conditional
- Conditional
Plants
Shipping plants to South Africa is conditional and may require an export inspection by a plant protection station and an import permit from the destination country. Senders are advised to confirm requirements with their nearest plant protection station or South Africa's plant quarantine authority in advance.
Conditions and documents
- Export inspection by a plant protection station and import permit from the destination country may be required → conditional — shipper must confirm requirements with nearest plant protection station or destination country's plant quarantine authority in advance
Documents: Export inspection certificate from plant protection station (植物防疫所による輸出検査); Import permit from destination country (名宛国の輸入許可証)
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 06
Tobacco
1 prohibited
- Prohibited
Cigarettes (exceeding 2 kg per 1,000 cigarettes)
Cigarettes are prohibited when the weight exceeds 2 kilograms per 1,000 cigarettes. This restriction applies across regular mail, parcel, and EMS shipping types to South Africa.
Details and exceptions
- weight exceeds 2 kg per 1,000 cigarettes → prohibited
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 24
Other items
4 prohibited · 2 conditional
- Prohibited
Goods manufactured in prisons or reformatories
Goods that have been manufactured in prisons or reformatories are prohibited from being shipped to South Africa via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. No exceptions or conditions are stated.
- Prohibited
Lottery tickets and lottery-related articles
Lottery tickets and articles related to lotteries are prohibited from being shipped to South Africa via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. This prohibition covers lottery tickets themselves as well as any associated lottery materials.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 49
- Prohibited
Obscene articles
Obscene articles — including literary works — and articles of a morally objectionable nature are prohibited from shipment to South Africa via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 49
- Prohibited
Used Clothing
Used (secondhand) clothing is prohibited from being shipped to South Africa via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services. New clothing is not covered by this restriction.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 63
- Conditional
Film
Film is conditionally permitted for shipment to South Africa, but only when it is stored in a metal box that is itself enclosed in a wooden box.
Conditions and documents
- Film is stored in a metal box which is itself enclosed in a wooden box → permitted
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 37
- Conditional
Pathogens, Insects, and Culture Media
Pathogens, insects, and culture media are permitted only when authorization has been obtained from the relevant authority in the destination country (Division of Plant and Seed Control). Shipment via Regular, Parcel, and EMS services is subject to this condition.
Conditions and documents
- Authorization obtained from the Division of Plant and Seed Control (destination country relevant authority) → permitted
Documents: Authorization from the Division of Plant and Seed Control (South Africa)
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 30
Applies to every destination, including South Africa
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 South Africa?
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 South Africa?
- Japan Post's import rules for South Africa prohibit 9 item types, including Butane gas lighters (containing fuel) and their fuel; Obscene articles; Used Clothing; Printed matter containing advertisements or articles about treatments for sexual impotence or sexually transmitted diseases; Goods manufactured in prisons or reformatories; Cigarettes (exceeding 2 kg per 1,000 cigarettes); Registered ordinary mail containing valuables; Lottery tickets and lottery-related articles; and 1 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 South Africa only under conditions?
- 11 item types are allowed only when Japan Post's stated conditions are met — for example Honey and Related Beekeeping Products; Film; Sera and Vaccines; Yeast; Alcoholic Beverages; Plants; Animal Products; Pathogens, Insects, and Culture Media; and 3 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 South Africa?
- Not necessarily. This page lists the import rules Japan Post publishes for South Africa; 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.