There seem to be few dull moments in the life of first lady Akie Abe, who sometimes spends her time hosting a web-based talk show, harvestinghoney from a bee farm and even payingoccasional visits to the contentious Yasukuni Shrine.

Most recently, Ms. Abe raised eyebrows after telling a Japanese magazine that she has considered becoming a hemp farmer to help revive the traditional culture.

Cannabis use is going mainstream in North America, but that's not the case everywhere. If you're travelling to any of these destinations, you'll want to consider a temporary hiatus from herb.

COSTA MESA, CA--(Marketwired - October 22, 2015) - Nemus Bioscience, Inc. (OTCQB: NMUS) has announced that the pro-drug of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in-licensed from the company's research and commercial partner, the University of Mississippi, has been granted a utility patent in Japan. The patent refers to the composition of matter and preparation of delta-9 THC amino acid esters and their methods of use. The lead Nemus compound in development for glaucoma, NB1111, would fall under this patent umbrella.

Most people don’t know it but Japan has a centuries-old history with a simple yet popular plant that has only been making waves here and abroad for the past few decades.

It was once a sacred substance in Shinto religious tradition. Lore has it that ninja once jumped over it day after day as it grew, training to leap incredible heights because it grew, well – like a weed. Even today, it is a key ingredient in a common household condiment. What is it?

Marijuana.

Experts point out the plant’s cultural significance. 

Today Japan has some of the strictest anti-cannabis laws in the world.

Punishment for possession is a maximum 5 years behind bars and illicit growers face 7-year sentences. Annually around 2000 people fall foul of these laws – their names splashed on the nightly news and their careers ruined forever. The same prohibition which dishes out these punishments also bans research into medical marijuana, forcing Japanese scientists overseas to conduct their studies.

The cannabis plant has myriad uses, from paper, fabric and even fuel that can be created from industrial hemp, to the many health conditions which benefit from medical marijuana. Here’s one more benefit to add to the list: removing toxic metals and even radiation from soil.

The process of using plants to clean polluted soil is called phytoremediation. According to a 2014 report from Nation of Change’s Christina Sarich, two members of the mustard family are more frequently used in phytoremediation, but cannabis has shown some promise because of its hardiness to toxins and quick growth rates. Some have even considered using it near Fukushima.

If you are in the international market for marijuana, your legal options are limited. Though the cultivation of pot is widespread across the world, its legal status has only just begun to shift, with some countries choosing to decriminalize the substance and others loosening up enforcement regulations for users and growers.

The plant can grow just about anywhere, making it generally accessible to the global population, and, subsequently, one of the most commonly used illicit substances everywhere from the Americas to Europe. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, there are more than 177 million cannabis users globally.

The high-profile arrest of former Toyota Motor Corp. executive Julie Hamp last month over importing oxycodone might fuel prejudice in Japan against the narcotic painkillers and other strong pain-relieving drugs, experts fear.

Hamp, the automaker’s first female managing officer, was released by police without charge July 8 after spending 20 days in detention. She was arrested June 18 on suspicion of violating Japan’s drug laws after she reportedly had her father in the U.S. ship her 57 tablets of the powerful prescription drug hidden in jewelry boxes.

It is illegal to import oxycodone into Japan without a prescription and prior permission from Japan’s health ministry.

Some medications available through prescription or over the counter in the U.S. are prohibited in Japan and cannot be brought into the country.

Heroin, cocaine, MDMA, opium, cannabis and stimulant drugs, including some prescription medications such as Adderall, are prohibited.

There are no exceptions in bringing these prohibited medications into Japan, even if the medication is legally obtained in another country.