medicines
Prescription Drug
処方薬 (Shohō-yaku)
A medication that legally requires a written order (prescription) from a licensed physician or dentist before it can be dispensed by a pharmacist. In Japan, prescriptions are written on a standardized form and can be taken to any registered dispensing pharmacy (chōzai yakkyoku). Prescriptions are typically valid for four days and cannot be refilled without a new doctor's visit. Insurance coverage applies to covered prescription drugs at the standard copayment rate.
Japan separates prescribing (by doctors) and dispensing (by pharmacists) as part of a policy called bungyō; patients receive their prescription slip at the clinic and fill it at an external pharmacy.
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Prescription Drug |
| Japanese (日本語) | 処方薬 |
| Chinese (中文) | 处方药 |
| Korean (한국어) | 처방약 |
| Portuguese | Medicamento sob receita |
| Spanish | Medicamento con receta |
| Filipino | Reseta na gamot |
| Thai | ยาที่ต้องมีใบสั่งแพทย์ |
| Vietnamese | Thuốc kê đơn |
| Romanization | Shohō-yaku |
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Read the guide →Last reviewed: September 2026