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ID and Cash Limits for Buying Gold in Japan

In Japan, a jeweller or bullion dealer must check your ID when you buy or sell precious metals and the payment is more than ¥2 million in cash (Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds). There is no legal cap on paying cash. When you sell gold or platinum bars or coins for more than ¥2 million, you give the dealer your name, address and My Number, and the dealer files a payment report (支払調書) with the tax office.

Facts checked 31 October 2026 · Not financial, legal or tax advice

At a glance

SituationRuleNotes
BuyingID check (取引時確認) when you pay more than ¥2 million in cash.Covers gold, platinum, silver, gems and jewellery. Card or bank-transfer payments fall outside this rule, though dealers may still ask for ID.
Paying cashNo legal cap.Above ¥2 million in cash the dealer must identify you and keep records.
SellingID at almost any amount to a secondhand dealer (古物商); My Number over ¥2 million for bars and coins.Secondhand dealers may skip ID only when the total is under ¥10,000.
ReportedPayment report (支払調書) to the tax office when a dealer pays you over ¥2 million for bullion or coins.Suspicious transactions are reported at any amount.

The rules in detail

  • Jewellers and precious-metal dealers are covered businesses under the Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds (犯罪収益移転防止法). They must verify your identity for any sale or purchase of precious metals (gold, platinum, silver and their alloys), gems or products made from them where the price is paid in cash and exceeds ¥2 million.
  • If a deal is obviously split to stay under ¥2 million, the parts are added together. Suspected impersonation and some higher-risk customers need checks at any amount, plus checks on assets and income above ¥2 million.
  • The dealer keeps an identity record and a transaction record, and files a suspicious transaction report with no minimum amount.
  • There is no general limit on paying cash in Japan. Large purchases are usually paid by bank transfer.
  • No change to the ¥2 million threshold had been made as of October 2026. The trade ministry (METI) revised its list of suspicious-transaction examples for dealers on 19 June 2026; one example is splitting sales to stay under the payment-report threshold.

When you sell

  • Shops buying used goods are secondhand dealers (古物商) and must check your ID and record the deal unless the total is under ¥10,000.
  • Since October 2019, dealers must keep a copy of the seller's ID to claim consumption tax credit on gold bullion they buy, so expect an ID check at any amount.
  • For gold or platinum bars and coins (e.g. Maple Leaf gold coins) sold for over ¥2 million, you give your name, address and My Number. The dealer reports the payment to the tax office by the end of the following month. Jewellery and silver aren't in this report.
  • No tax is withheld; any gain is declared on your own tax return.

Silver and travel

  • Silver is covered by the ¥2 million cash ID rule, but not by the bullion payment report.
  • At the border, declare cash and other means of payment over ¥1 million, and gold of 90%+ purity weighing over 1 kg.
Japan is tightening controls on gold smuggling: the Finance Minister ordered stronger border checks in November 2025, and the Finance Ministry is considering rules to block exports of gold without a traceable supply chain from fiscal 2027 (a proposal, not law). An October 2025 change to the secondhand-dealer rules removed the ¥10,000 ID exemption for cables, air-conditioner units and metal gratings, not for gold.
ID and cash limits in other countries: United States · Canada · Mexico · Brazil · United Kingdom · Ireland · Germany · France · Italy · Netherlands · Switzerland · Turkey · UAE · Saudi Arabia · Kuwait · Qatar · Bahrain · Oman · Egypt · South Africa · India · Pakistan · Bangladesh · Nepal · Sri Lanka · China · Hong Kong · South Korea · Singapore · Malaysia · Thailand · Vietnam · Indonesia · Philippines · Australia · New Zealand · all countries
See also: Gold price in Japan · Tax on selling gold in Japan · VAT on gold in Japan · Gold travel allowance · Silver rules in Japan

Gold ID and Cash Limits in Japan: FAQ

Do I need ID to buy gold in Japan?

By law, only if you pay more than ¥2 million in cash. Many dealers ask for ID on large purchases anyway, and bank-transfer payments go through your bank's own checks.

Do I need my My Number card to sell gold?

Yes, if you sell gold or platinum bars or coins for more than ¥2 million. The dealer records your My Number and files a payment report with the tax office.

Is there a limit on paying cash for gold in Japan?

No. There is no legal cap, but cash payments over ¥2 million require an ID check and record-keeping by the dealer.

Does the gold buyer report my sale to the tax office?

Yes for bullion and coins sold for more than ¥2 million. Smaller sales and jewellery aren't in this report, but gains may still be taxable.

Sources (6)

General information for individuals buying or selling gold, checked October 2026. Rules change and dealers may ask for more than the legal minimum; check with the dealer or the regulator. Not legal advice.