Be careful when buying TYLENOL in Japan! Three things you should check in advance
The reason why is because in Japanese drugstores, drugs such as ibuprofen and loxoprofen that reduce fevers and act as a painkiller are more common compared to paracetamol (the name in Japan for acetaminophen), the active ingredient in TYLENOL A.
That is why TYLENOL A is more often placed on the edge of the sales floor instead of in the center.Additionally, the packaging of TYLENOL A has a different design compared to what is available overseas.
It has a white package with TYLENOL written in red letters.
In Japan, TYLENOL A is well known as a single drug that only contains acetaminophen, so if you just ask an employee about acetaminophen, they will often bring you TYLENOL A.
In fact, the total amount of acetaminophen is also different.
In Japan, the amount of acetaminophen in one pill of TYLENOL A is 300 mg, and one pill is taken at a time. That is because for the manufacturing and sales approval criteria in Japan for over the counter drugs (that reduce fevers and act as a painkiller), the largest dose of acetaminophen that can be taken at one time is 300 mg. Overseas, it is common for one pill to contain 500 mg or more, so be aware that the total amount used in the TYLENOL is different from usual.
So just like with TYLENOL overseas, TYLENOL A can be taken on an empty stomach as long as you do not have chills or a fever from a cold.
If you ask an employee about TYLENOL, they should bring some to you.
However, you need to be aware that even if it contains the same active ingredient, its total amount is different, and the design of the packaging is different compared to what is available overseas.
So although there are differences with it compared to what is overseas, it can still be taken on an empty stomach.*
If you need TYLENOL while on a trip, try looking for it at a drugstore in Japan.
