New shopping tax laws

My girlfriend and I are visiting Japan for 18 nights this November, and we’ll be flying home from Osaka (departing from Kansai International Airport). We’re planning to do quite a lot of shopping, so I wanted to ask how the tax-free/refund process currently works when leaving Japan. Is the consumption tax usually removed at the store, or do you need to process anything at the airport before departure? If there is an airport procedure, are there dedicated counters or kiosks, and should we plan to arrive earlier than usual to allow time for this? Also, do customs regularly inspect tax-free goods at departure, and do items need to be kept unopened and in carry-on? Any recent experiences or updates would be really appreciated!