Why Your Ham Gets Confiscated at Customs

In this episode, we explore why meat products like ham and sausages are strictly banned from being brought into Japan. After a personal experience at the airport, I dug into the reasons—diseases like foot-and-mouth, bird flu, and African swine fever (ASF) that could harm livestock. We’ll look at why these rules have tightened over the years, the real risks behind them, and how they differ from commercial imports. It’s a quick look at a surprising travel rule and what it means for us.