Medicine import forms for Japan? How long?

Question:

I am going to Japan in three weeks, and need to bring an epi pen. I was told I had to file for permission to bring it. I sent out all the paperwork last Monday. Any ideas when I should hear a response? I hope I get it, the paperwork required a signature and a prescription- I had the prescription but the doctor refused to sign off on the paperwork

Answer:

I expect that getting an epi pen in Japan is going to be expensive and time-consuming. Plus, will a doctor simply prescribe one just because you say you need one? Or would be do some kind of allergy test to ascertain your allergy before prescribing? My experience says the latter. Maybe a prescription from a doctor in your country with a notarized translation would speed things along?

As for it being okay because 'someone else brought in it and declared it', I wouldn't bet the farm.
Immigration and Customs have a good bit of leeway in how they handle situations. Do you think it will fly if when going through Customs and you have a problem with the pen that you say, "Well, this person on Yahoo Answers said someone else came into Japan with one and didn't have a problem."

So, getting a pen in Japan and getting one through Customs without the proper paperwork may be problematic. What to do? Here's an idea..... get the paperwork done. As for how long that can take, once again, Y!A isn't the best place to be asking that question. I would say call whoever you filed it with and explain your situation.

Lastly, (and I am getting toward the end of my discourse), what's with "the doctor wouldn't sign off on the paperwork" thing? Does that mean that you turned in your application without the signature? And why wouldn't a doctor sign a simple form?

Really, in this case I'm sorry to go shooting down your possibilities, but I think you had best be aware of the potential problems awaiting you. Make that phone call.

EDIT: Sounds like your doctor has her head stuck up somewhere. Or just trying to make a payment on her Mercedes. All I can say is that I would have whatever I was told was required. But something comes to mind. When you say that you were told you had to file for permission, who told you that?