Japan Customs sets a specific yen figure for when cash and similar instruments must be declared, and it applies in both directions — arriving and departing. It is a fixed threshold, not a judgment call, and it covers more than the bills in your wallet.
The number is ¥1,000,000, and the rule runs both ways
Japan Customs states: “When entering or departing Japan with means of payment exceeding ¥1,000,000( 0.1 million JPY in a case that you are bound for North Korea)or its equivalent, you are required to submit to Customs declaration prior to your entry or departure.”* The obligation applies whether you are coming into Japan or leaving it, and it is triggered by the total amount, not by which direction you’re traveling.
What counts toward the total
This is not a cash-only rule. The declaration threshold applies to a combined total:
When the total amount of the following exceeds ¥1,000,000 (* 0.1 million JPY in a case that you are bound for North Korea) or its equivalent: Cash (Japanese or foreign currencies) Checks (including traveler’s checks) Promissory notes Securities (stock certificates, government bonds, etc. )
A traveler could stay under ¥1,000,000 in cash alone and still owe a declaration once traveler’s checks or securities are added to the total — the threshold is combined, not per category.
For stock certificates specifically, the source gives a valuation rule: “you must declare either its current price, book value, or trade value, whichever is higher.”
Bound for North Korea, the threshold is much lower
The same customs answer carries a footnote that changes the figure entirely for one specific destination: “0.1 million JPY in a case that you are bound for North Korea.” That is ¥100,000, a much lower bar than the general threshold. If your itinerary includes North Korea, the ordinary ¥1,000,000 figure does not apply to you.
A kilogram of gold is a separate declaration
Precious metal has its own trigger, independent of the cash threshold above: “When precious metal (gold with over 90% purity) exceeds 1kg in total weight.” This is a distinct declaration requirement, not folded into the ¥1,000,000 cash figure.
How you actually declare it
The process itself is a paper form, filled out before you reach the inspection point: “Fill out the address, name, and type and amount of payment on a ‘Declaration of Carrying of Means of Payment’ and declare it to Customs at the airport, etc.” You don’t need to source the form in advance — “the form is available at Customs inspection areas in airports and seaports.”
There’s no stated penalty for failing to declare
Japan Customs’ own page states the threshold and the declaration process. It does not state what happens if you fail to declare — no fine, confiscation amount, or penalty figure appears anywhere on it. If your total is anywhere near ¥1,000,000, the safer course is simply to declare, since we cannot tell you what the cost of not declaring would be.
The page also doesn’t explain how the “or its equivalent” conversion is calculated for foreign currency — which exchange rate applies, or on what date. If your total is close to the line in a foreign currency, that’s worth confirming with Customs directly rather than estimating it yourself.
Sum your cash, checks, and securities before customs
Add up your cash, checks, promissory notes, and securities before you fly. If the combined total is near or over ¥1,000,000 — or ¥100,000 if North Korea is on your itinerary — get the “Declaration of Carrying of Means of Payment” form at the inspection area and fill it out before you cross into or out of Japan.