Pet travel from the United States to Japan

The importer must provide advance notification of the animal to be imported to the Animal Quarantine Service (AQS) with jurisdiction over the intended air or seaport of arrival at least 40 days prior to arrival in Japan by fax or mail.

• DOGS – Notification of Import Inspection of Dog
   
• CATS – Notification of Import of Animals under the Rabies Prevention Law

Dogs and cats must be individually identified by an ISO compliant microchip.   If the animal is not fitted with an ISO compliant (11784 and 11785) microchip, the importer must bring a microchip reader with the pet.  

The importer must provide advance notification of the animal to be imported to the Animal Quarantine Service (AQS) with jurisdiction over the intended air or seaport of arrival at least 40 days prior to arrival in Japan by fax or mail.

• DOGS – Notification of Import Inspection of Dog
   
• CATS – Notification of Import of Animals under the Rabies Prevention Law

Dogs and cats must be individually identified by an ISO compliant microchip.   If the animal is not fitted with an ISO compliant (11784 and 11785) microchip, the importer must bring a microchip reader with the pet.                

The pet must be microchipped on the day of or before the 1st vaccination.

Exception: Microchip implantation can occur on the day of or before the 2nd vaccination when the export health certificate, endorsed by APHIS, shows that:

1. the 1st vaccination was administered prior to microchip implantation, and
2. the animal had a rabies antibody titer of at least 0.5 IU/ml on a serum  sample collected on the day of administration of the 2nd vaccination.

Dogs and cats must be vaccinated against rabies twice or more after the microchip implanting.

First rabies vaccination

• At least 91days old at the time of vaccination（the date of birth is counted as day 0）
• After the microchip implanting（including the same day of implanting）

Second rabies vaccination

• More than 30 days apart from the first vaccination (the date of the first one is counted as day 0)
• Within the effective period (duration of immunity) of the first vaccination

Dogs and cats must be evaluated for serum rabies antibody level. The animal must have been vaccinated for rabies in accordance with section 3 above.

Animals microchipped before or on the day of the 1st vaccination, the serum sample may be collected on the date of 2nd vaccination or any day until the end of the effective period of the 2nd vaccination.

The rabies titer test must be carried out at a laboratory approved by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan. The results of the rabies titer test must be greater than or equal to 0.5 IU/ml. The result of rabies titer test is valid for two years from the date of sampling. The laboratory results must be originals (no USDA endorsement needed) or copies with USDA endorsement. No report is needed if the animal is a returning pet that has a valid “Export Quarantine Certificate” with lab results listed within the last two years.

Approved Laboratories:

Dogs and cats are required to undergo a wait of at least 180 days between the date the sample is collected for the rabies titer test and the date the animal arrives in Japan.  If 180 days have not passed before the animal’s arrival in Japan, the animal will be quarantined in an AQS facility to make up the number of days remaining in the 180-day wait period.  Antibody levels are measured in order to confirm whether or not the animal has developed immunity to rabies. The reason for the wait is to make sure that the animal has not contracted rabies prior to developing immunity to it as a result of immunization, 180 days corresponds to the incubation period for the disease.

Dogs and cats must be inspected by a USDA Accredited Veterinarian and confirmed free of clinical signs of infectious disease including rabies and leptospirosis (for dogs) prior to departure. The traveler needs an Exporter’s Declaration and an Export Health Certificate.

• Health Certificate for dogs and cats to Japan (Form AC): Form AC contains the information required for both the owner declaration and health certificate. This document can be used to fulfill both requirements. The exporter will need to have this form endorsed by APHIS-VS.

Other Options for Acceptable Health Certificates Include:
Using Form AC above fulfills all health certificate requirements for U.S. pet dogs and cats to Japan.  However, the exporter may choose to use any of the following other options instead of the Form AC:

• Exporter's declaration (Form A):  The traveler needs to prepare the Exporter’s Declaration (Form A) with the assistance of their USDA accredited veterinarian. This form needs to be endorsed by APHIS-VS. This form must be accompanied by a Form C.
• Export health certificate (Form C):  Form C is completed by the issuing USDA accredited veterinarian. The exporter will need to have this form endorsed by APHIS-VS. This form must be accompanied by a Form A.
• International Health Certificate (APHIS Form 7001):  Another health certificate option is the APHIS Form 7001 which can be obtained from the issuing accredited veterinarian.  This form must contain all the information required on Form C, must be accompanied by a Form A, and needs to be endorsed by APHIS-VS.

Military Personnel Options: 

• Active duty military personnel and their families may use a valid health certificate for dogs and cats only issued by a military veterinarian without APHIS endorsement.
  
   
• Retired military personnel and their families:   Japan requires APHIS endorsement of a valid health certificate. APHIS VS may endorse health certificates for pet dogs and cats for military personnel, when they meet the importing requirements of Japan on an APHIS Form 7001, Japan’s Export health certificate (Form C), MDJ 2209 Form or other suitable health certificate format.

Japan recommends the following measures for bringing pets into Japan.

Immunization: Japan recommends that the following immunizations be given to dogs and cats that are 91 days old or older 30 days prior to their arrival in Japan (within the vaccine immunization effectiveness period).

1. Dogs: distemper, contagious hepatitis (Adenovirus type II acceptable), parvovirus infectious disease trivalent vaccine (parainfluenza, leptospirosis, coronavirus)
2. Cats: feline viral rhinotracheitis, feline calicivirus, feline panleukopenia trivalent vaccine

Parasite treatment: Japan recommends the following parasite treatments before departure (no more than 4 days before boarding):

3. External parasites: Treat with medicines effective against mites and fleas, and at the time of export have a clinical inspection to confirm that the animal is free from these parasites.
4. Internal parasites: administer medicine effective against nematodes and tapeworms.

Visit Japan’s AQS Website for more information on taking your dog or cat to Japan