Two American women have been arrested for allegedly smuggling $1 million worth of marijuana into Japan, a country known for having some of the strictest drug laws in the world. 

The unidentified pair, both 25, are accused of flying into Tokyo’s Haneda Airport from New York last week with two suitcases containing ‘cannabis-like dried plants’ that had been ‘secretly stored’ inside, a police spokesperson said.

Photos released by local news outlet Nippon TV showed the scale of the seizure, with dozens of small bags packed with apparent marijuana spread across a table and spilling from open black suitcases. 

Japan has some of the world’s toughest anti-drug laws, where smuggling or possessing illegal narcotics, including marijuana, can result in years behind bars. 

The staggering haul weighed around 66 pounds and was valued at approximately $970,000, or around 150 million yen at street value, according to local media outlet Nikkei. 

Police said the suitcases contained a total of 35 small bags of marijuana, which were loaded onto a plane in New York on September 4 before being brought into Japan and arriving at Tokyo’s airport the following day. 

One of the women admitted to the crime, allegedly telling Tokyo police she took the job for the money and was 'attracted by the fact I could go to Japan for free,' Nippon TV reported. 

The other woman allegedly denied any knowledge of the drugs, claiming she 'didn’t know that cannabis was inside' the suitcases, according to the Tokyo Shimbun, citing unnamed police sources. 

Investigators said the pair, who were friends, 'conspired with someone else whose name was unknown' to carry out the smuggling. 

They told authorities they had received instructions from a man they met through social media, but admitted they had never met him face-to-face. 

Police said it wasn't until a customs officer became suspicious and searched the suitcases at an airport inspection area that they discovered the pounds of marijuana hidden inside. 

The women were arrested on suspicion of violating Japan’s drugs and psychotropics control law by allegedly smuggling marijuana for profit, a department spokesman said.

The pair were also accused of violating two other unnamed laws, he added. 

Those convicted of smuggling cannabis for profit can face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to 3 million yen.

In Japan, bringing any cannabis products into the country, even if they were legally purchased elsewhere, can lead to arrest and deportation.

Japan allows certain cannabis-derived medicines for severe conditions, including rare forms of epilepsy, but only under strict medical supervision. Smokable medical cannabis and broader patient access remain prohibited.

However, non-psychoactive CBD and hemp-derived products are legal, but they must contain no THC or only trace amounts within the country's extremely strict limits. 

As for other drugs, Japan has a zero-tolerance policy, with recreational drugs such as cocaine and heroin strictly illegal, along with many common Western over-the-counter and prescription medications containing stimulants or opioids.

Last year, Tony-nominated American playwright Jeremy O Harris was arrested in Japan on suspicion of smuggling the psychedelic drug ecstasy.

The Emily in Paris actor was taken into custody at Naha Airport on November 16, 2025, when customs officials allegedly found a crystal substance in his tote bag, according to multiple reports.

Authorities said the substance tested positive for MDMA, also known as Ecstasy, weighing roughly 780 milligrams, significantly more than a typical recreational dose.

Japanese authorities found no other drugs in his luggage and believe the MDMA was intended for personal use. He was released after spending three weeks in custody.