How to Import Your Pet into Japan
By Skywing Knights // March 7, 2025
Hello all!
I’m back with part 2 of these series on traveling with your pet to Japan! This is a 5 part blog series on how to bring your pets to Japan in the best and least stressful way for your pets possible. And each part will be linked directly below!
- Should You Travel With Your Pet To Japan?
- How to Import Pet into Japan (and back into your home country – THIS ONE!! 😀 )
- Pets on Planes
- Pets on Public Transit and in Public Spaces within Japan
- Exceptions and Requirements for Service Animals and Emotional Support Pets
Recap of Part 1:
Previously, we discussed if you should be bringing your pet with you to Japan. In summary, it is my personal belief that for most individuals, particularly those going for tourism purposes, the answer is “No, you should not be bringing your pets with you to Japan.” However, everyone’s situations are different. If you require a service animal for example or are moving to Japan, then bringing your pet to Japan might be a necessity.
So while I highly encourage individuals traveling to Japan to leave their fur-babies at home, I am writing these blogs specifically because I know that there are those who do not have the option and must bring their pets with them. And it is my hope that this information will help you provide your pet with the best and least stressful experience of the entire process.
So, let’s get on with the first part of this conundrum:
How Do You Import Your Pet Into Japan?
Importing you pet into Japan is a long process that if not followed correctly can lead to your pet being quarantined in Japan for 180 days. For that reason, it is VERY important to follow all of the steps and procedures correctly.
If you choose to import your pet into Japan from the United States (not including Hawaii and Guam), then you must follow the Guide to Importing Dogs and Cats into Japan from Non-designated Regions. The full document on this and an outline of the procedures can be found here:
Importing Dogs and Cats into Japan (from Non-designated Regions)
Guide to Importing Dogs and Cats into Japan from Non-Designated Regions
We’ll boil it down to the key steps for today’s guide. However, there are certain circumstances for various pets which are outlined in detail in the document and website linked above. So be sure to read through those too! (The following does not replace what is linked above – it is only meant to be a starting point!)
Steps to Import Your Pet Into Japan
Step 1. Microchip your pet (to identify your pet).
This must be done before your pet receives their first Rabies Vaccine.
Step 2. Get your pet their First Rabies Vaccination.
Pets must be at least 91 days old to receive this. Both this and the follow up vaccine must comply with the standards of the WOAH (World Organization for Animal Health).
Tip! If you can do steps 1 and 2 on the same day, do so!
Step 2 (Part 2). Get your pet their second Rabies Vaccination.
This must happen after 30 days of more since they receive their first vaccination.) This second vaccine will be valid for 2 years. Follow up vaccines count for this step as well.
Step 3. Get a Rabies Antibody Test done on your pet via a blood sample.
This can sometimes be done the same day as when they get their second Rabies Vaccination. The results must be equal to or greater than 0.5IU/ml and it must be done at one of the designated laboratories which can be found here. This test will be valid for 2 years.
Step 4. Wait 180 days from the time of the Rabies Antibody Test.
Step 5. Provide Advanced Notification to the Animal Quarantine Service.
Make sure to notify the Animal Quarantine Service office of Japan at the expected port of entry. Also, do so no less than 40 days prior to arrival
Step 6. Get a Pre-Export Inspection performed by a veterinarian.
For dogs, they must be free of any signs of rabies and leptospirosis. For cats, they must be free of any clinical signs of rabies.
Step 7. Obtain Certificates issued by the government agency of the exporting country.
In the United States, it is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Animal andPlant Health Inspection Service.
The required certificates must include:
- The date of birth or age of the animal
- Mircochipping details (Step 1)
- Rabies Vaccination Details (Step 2)
- Rabies Antibody Test Details (Setp 3)
- Pre-Export Inspection (See step 6)
- Vaccinations other than those for rabies and parasite treatment.
Step 8. Go through the Importation Inspection.
Upon arriving in Japan, you must apply for an import inspection to Animal Quarantine Service. If no problems are found, your put will be granted admission into Japan. This can take up to 12 hours, but usually it is less than a few hours.
If you have done all of the above correctly, then you should have no problems if you import your pet into Japan!
How Do You Import Your Pet Back Into Your Home Country?
Now of course, you can’t leave your pet in Japan. So how do you bring your pet back? This varies from country to country. Since the majority of my readers are from the United States, I will primarily focus on those requirements. However, the biggest key, regardless of where you are from, is to determine which government agency of your home country regulates the importation of animals and to check with their guidelines.
For the United States, both the CDC (Center for Disease Control) and the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service have a say in if pets/animals can be imported into the United States. Thankfully, the CDC, as of March 2025, does not require any general certificates of health for pets for entry into the states, though they do want you to be aware that some airlines do require such certificates. (We’ll go over this in part 3 of this series). In addition, they have requirements based on the animal being imported that must be met. Meanwhile, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) also has requirements for pets that change depending on the species and where they are being imported from.
For Dogs
For dogs, the CDC does requires that you are able to fill out the CDC Dog Import Form.
Japan is deemed a rabies-free or rabies low-risk country, so upon arrival, in addition to having the CDC Dog Import Form filled out, dogs must:
- Appear healthy upon arrival in the US
- Be at least 6 months old at the time of entry/return to the US.
- Have a microchip that can be detected with a universal scanner to identify them.
For dogs, APHIS has additional requirements for those coming from an FMD-Affected Country or a Screwworm-Affected Country. Thankfully, Japan is neither of those. Perhaps more relevant to those reading this though, APHIS’ Animal Care also has additional regulations for dogs imported for commercial purposes, which are important to read over if you are bringing a dog that you adopted while in Japan back to the United States.
As a final note, be sure to check for additional regulations for dogs if you live in Hawaii or Guam.
For Cats
The CDC is much more lenient with Cats (don’t ask me why). Cats are required to appear healthy upon arrival to the US, but they may be subject to an inspection if they display signs of a zoonotic disease. They are not requried to have proof of a rabies vaccination. However, cats arriving in the state of Hawaii or the territory of Guam are subject to locally imposed quarantine requirements.
For Other Pets
As Cats and Dogs are the most common animals to be imported into the US, we covered them above. However, both the CDC and APHIS have regulations for pets that are not cats or dogs as well. Be sure to check out those regulations below (just keep scrolling – you’ll find them!)
APHIS Animal Importation Guide
Make Sure to Check State/Territory Requirements
Hawaii and Guam are great examples of why you shouldn’t stop at checking on a federal level the requirements for bringing in your pet. (And even if you have a dog, might I add, I would always check for any regulations that Hawaii and Guam may have – don’t just skip it because you don’t own a cat! Things change!) Other states may also have regulations of their own. A great resource for checking on your State/Territory’s regulations can be found here through NASDA (the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture). So be sure to check with the state of entry as well to see if they have any requirements that must be met too!
Conclusion
Taking the time to make sure that you you can import your pet into Japan takes a lot of work, but it is NECESSARY in order to bring your pet into Japan. Meanwhile the requirements you must meet to return with your pet to your home country depend on your Country and State/Territory/Province of entry, as well as what type of pet you are bringing in.
Next in our series, we will cover Pets on Planes. So stay tuned for that and until next time, be sure to give your pet some extra love today!
~Skywing
