Import dogs and cats into Japan (from Non-designated regions)

To import dogs and cats from Non-designated regions, they must meet import requirements such as microchip implanting, at least two times rabies vaccinations, rabies antibody test, and 180-day waiting.

And you need to obtain certificates, which certify necessary information, issued by the government agency of the exporting country.

Contact list of Animal Quarantine Service at airport or seaport(PDF : 63KB)

Import guide

In the beginning, please read the import guide.

Import guide (Non-designated regions)

English(PDF : 880KB)
中文/Chinese(PDF : 970KB)
Korean(PDF : 828KB)
Japanese(PDF : 1,086KB)

Flow chart

flowchart_nonfree_en

Step 1 Microchip implanting

Dogs and cats must be identified by a microchip before the first rabies vaccination.

The microchip should comply with ISO 11784 and 11785 (15 digit microchip code consists only of numbers).
Make sure the microchip number can be read by a microchip reader at veterinary hospitals.

（Precautions）

In case that the microchip implanted is not ISO standards, you should contact Animal Quarantine Service at the expected port of entry.
If our microchip reader cannot read the non-ISO microchip, you need to prepare a reader which can read it.
Microchip numbers starting with "900 202" are currently under investigation for their validity. Please note that for the time being, these microchips will not be accepted as a means of identification.(Apr.7, 2023)

F.A.Q. about microchip is here

Step 2 Rabies vaccinations (twice or more)

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

（Timing of rabies vaccination）

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

＊Effective period is not the expiration date for use of the vaccine, but the duration of immunity.

（Acceptable vaccines）

Inactivated (killed) virus vaccine or recombinant / modified vaccine

（Precautions）

If the effective period of the rabies vaccination will expire before arrival in Japan, an additional rabies vaccination must be administered within the period.
The rabies vaccination administered after the effective period of the previous one is not accepted as an ‘additional vaccination’. The importer must start the procedures from the first rabies vaccination.
Rabies vaccination conducted before microchip implantation is invalid, but it may be accepted under certain conditions（PDF：190KB）.
Live virus vaccine is not accepted.

F.A.Q. about rabies vaccinations is here

Step 3 Rabies antibody test (serological test)

Rabies antibody test must be performed at one of the designated laboratories.

Blood sample for the test must be drawn after the second rabies vaccination.

(The second rabies vaccination and blood sampling can be performed on the same day.)

List of the designated laboratories is here.
Antibody titer against rabies must be equal to or greater than 0.5 IU/ml.

（Precautions）

The blood sample must be drawn within the effective period of the rabies vaccination.
We will check the result report of the antibody test at the time of import inspection.
If there is no designated laboratory in your country, you need to send the blood sample to one of the designated laboratories in other countries.

If you send a dog’s blood sample to the designated laboratory in Japan, it must be accompanied by an inspection certificate issued by the government agency of exporting country.

You can use the recommended certification form for serum of dog(s). PDF（PDF：105KB） , Word（Word：123KB）

In order to ensure proper import inspections of sent items, make sure the international mail service fills out dog serum on the declaration form attached to the international mailing items and clearly indicates the contents of parcels being sent on their outer packaging (example label: "Animal Quarantine Required(PDF : 534KB)").
If you send dog’s or cat’s blood sample to a designated laboratory in other country, please make sure export and import procedures of each country in advance.

As to how to apply for the antibody test, please ask the designated laboratory which you use.
If the antibody titer is less than 0.5 IU/ml, the dog or cat must be retested.

F.A.Q. about rabies antibody test is here

Step 4 Waiting period (180 days or more)

Dogs and cats are required to arrive in Japan after 180 days have passed from the date of blood sampling for the rabies antibody test.

In addition, the arrival date in Japan must be within ‘the expiry period of the rabies vaccine administered’ and ‘the validity period of the rabies antibody test (2 years from the date of blood sampling)’.

(The date of blood sampling is counted as day 0).

Dogs and cats whose waiting has passed less than 180 days will be subject to quarantine at a detention facility of Animal Quarantine Service for the period to make up the shortage.

（Precautions）

If unable to arrive in Japan within the validity period of the rabies antibody test, the second rabies antibody test must be carried out and the dog or cat must arrive in Japan within the validity period of the second test.
If the following three conditions are all met, another 180-day waiting after the second test is not required.

The effective period from the first rabies vaccination continues until arrival in Japan with necessary additional rabies vaccinations.
The date of blood sampling for the second test is at least 180 days after the date of blood sampling for the first rabies antibody test.
The antibody titer is 0.5 IU/ml or more in all the tests.

F.A.Q. about waiting period is here

Step 5 Advance notification

＜Advance notification＞

Applicants must notify Animal Quarantine Service at the expected port of entry not less than 40 days before arrival in Japan.

You can submit the notification form by mail, fax, or e-mail.

Or notification can be made online through the NACCS.

Contact list of Animal Quarantine Service at airport or seaport（PDF：107KB）
FAX transmission cover sheet： PDF(PDF : 26KB) 、Microsoft Word(WORD : 16KB)

＜Approval of Import Inspection of Animals＞

Animal Quarantine Service will examine the "Notification" and related documents to issue an “Approval of Import Inspection of Animals”. For export or boarding procedures, please print or save digitally the issued form.

＜Modification on notification＞

In case of any changes in the notification, you need to submit a ‘Modification on Notification of Import of Animals’ by mail, fax, or e-mail to Animal Quarantine Service.

Modification on Notification of Import of Animals（PDF：56KB） (EXCEL : 15KB)

In case you submitted the notification via NACCS, modification must be made through NACCS.

（Precautions）

Dogs can enter Japan only through the designated airports and seaports.
In principle, a notification submitted less than 40 days before arrival in Japan is not accepted.
Please submit copy of some documents (e.g. result report of rabies antibody test, export quarantine certificate if the dog or cat has been exported from Japan) with the advance notification to facilitate procedures.
Modifications of ‘moving up arrival date after submitting the notification’, ‘increasing the number of heads’, ‘replacing with different animals’, and ‘any change after the scheduled arrival date’ are not accepted in principle.
If there are any unclear points or deficiencies in the notification, we may not issue the Approval form.
In case that the detention facility is fully occupied, you may need to change the arrival date or the port of entry.

F.A.Q. about advance notification is here

（Monitoring survey for rabies antibody）

We carry out monitoring survey to verify import quarantine system at Narita international airport, Haneda airport, Chubu international airport, and Kansai international airport.

If your dog is randomly selected for the subject, we will announce you about it.

Step 6 Clinical inspection before departure (pre-export inspection)

Before leaving the exporting country, dogs and cats must undergo a clinical inspection by a veterinarian.

（Contents of clinical inspection）

Dogs and cats have been found to be free from any clinical signs of rabies.
In case of dogs, also the dogs have been found to be free from any clinical signs of leptospirosis.

Step 7 Obtaining certificates issued by the government agency of the exporting country

Applicants must obtain certificates issued by the government agency (corresponding to Animal Quarantine service in Japan) of the exporting country.

（Required information in the certificates）

（1）Individual information （including date of birth or age）

（2）Microchip number and date of implanting ［→Step 1］

（3）Date of rabies vaccinations, effective period, kind of vaccine, product name and manufacturer of vaccine ［→Step 2］

（4）Date of blood sampling for a rabies antibody test, antibody titer, and name of designated laboratory［→Step3］

（5）Result and date of clinical inspection （pre-export inspection） ［→Step 6］

Using the recommended certification form (Form AC) makes it possible for the importer to fill in the required information without any omissions.
＊The recommended certification form has been changed as Form AC from end of March 2018.
Previous form(Form A, Form C 1／3, 2／3, 3／3) is available as well as new form.

Form AC：PDF(PDF : 75KB) 、 Microsoft Excel(EXCEL : 36KB)
ATTACH：PDF(PDF : 53KB) 、 Microsoft Excel(EXCEL : 29KB)

(How to fill out Form AC)

1.The private veterinarian fills in the Form AC. Endorsement from the government agency of the exporting country must be obtained.

2．Due to circumstance in the exporting country, official government veterinarian could fill in the Form AC instead of the private veterinarian.
As long as you have all of the blanks on the Form AC filled in and it’s endorsed, there is no problem.

3．If you need more pages, fill in the ATTACH form in a same manner, and attach it to Form AC.

Health certificates that must be submitted to the Animal Quarantine Service can be submitted in the current way or if the government agency of the exporting country notifies in advance that an electromagnetic records of health certificates will be created, electromagnetic records may be used instead.(from December 1, 2022)

Health certificates obtained by electromagnetic records is permitted when the required information is stated on the health certificate records or of its copy, and when it is confirmed that it has been issued by the government agency of the exporting country.

For futher information, please contact Animal Quarantine Service.

（Precautions）

Do not use pencils or erasable ink to fill in the certificates.
Use of correcting fluid or correction tape is not acceptable.
If there are any deficiencies in the certificates, the dog or cat will be subject to detention quarantine for up to 180 days or will be shipped back . In order to prevent any errors in the certificates, we recommend you to send copy of the certificates to us in advance so that we check them.

F.A.Q. about obtaining certificates is here

Step 8 Import inspection

Dogs and cats must be inspected by Animal Quarantine Service upon arrival in Japan.

Importer must apply for import inspection to Animal Quarantine Service upon arrival in Japan.

If no problems are found in the import inspection, we will issue an import quarantine certificate for the dog or cat.

In case that the dog or cat doesn’t meet import requirements, it will be subject detention quarantine for up to 180 days or will be returned .

（Necessary documents）

Approval of import Inspection of Animals
Certificates issued by the government agency of the exporting country (original) 【→Step 7】
Result report of rabies antibody test 【→Step 3】
（For cargo transportation）Application for Import Inspection (you can use online system ‘NACCS’), and a copy of Air Waybill or Bill of lading
Application form for dogs（PDF：103KB） (EXCEL : 46KB)
Application form for cats（PDF：103KB） (EXCEL : 53KB)
Power of attorney （if an agent, other than a customs broker, do the import procedures instead of the owner
Example of power of attorney（PDF：185KB）
Other documents that Animal Quarantine Service requires

Detention quarantine inspection

Dogs and cats which don’t meet import requirements including certification deficiency will be subject to quarantine at a detention facility of Animal Quarantine Service for the necessary period (up to 180 days).

Illustration:Lie on the dog

The importer is responsible for caretaking, feeding, and all the costs during quarantine.

The importer can entrust the caretaking and feeding duties to a caretaker company at your expense.

Detention facilities where a caretaking company is stationed: Narita branch, Haneda Airport branch, Yokohama head office, and Kansai Airport branch.

（Precautions）

During quarantine, dogs and cats cannot be brought out of the detention facility under any circumstances, except when the dog or cat is returned to the exporting country.
If necessary, a veterinarian can visit at the detention facility for medical treatments.
Visiting your dog or cat during quarantine is allowed, but the visiting hours and visitors are restricted.
If symptoms of rabies or, for dogs, leptospirosis is observed, the quarantine period may be extended and some additional examinations may be conducted.
For dogs and cats scheduled to be subject to detention quarantine, vaccinations (combination vaccine) and deworming treatment should be performed in advance

F.A.Q. about detention quarantine inspection is here

Designated airports and seaports where import of dogs is allowed

Dogs can be imported only through the following ports.

（Airport）

New Chitose airport, Narita international airport, Haneda airport, Chubu International airport, Kansai International airport, Kitakyusyu airport, Fukuoka airport, Kagoshima airport, Naha airport

（Seaport）

Tomakomai seaport, Keihin seaport (Tokyo, Yokohama), Nagoya seaport, Hanshin seaport (Osaka, Hyogo), Kanmon seaport, Hakata seaport, Kagoshima seaport, Naha seaport

If you import cats or come with your assistance dog (guide dogs, service dogs, and hearing dogs regulated by law in Japan) through a port other than listed above, please contact Animal Quarantine Service in advance.

(Reference) Necessary procedures after import into Japan

We cannot reissue the import quarantine certificate. You need to keep the certificate because it is necessary when you export the dog or cat that has been imported into Japan. If you are planning to export the dog or cat, please make early contact with Animal Quarantine Service at a port of departure.
For dog’s importer, you need to bring the import quarantine certificate to the municipality, where the imported dog is kept, for registration within 30days of import.
Dogs must be vaccinated against rabies once a year under the Rabies Prevention Law in Japan. For further information, contact the municipality office.
The microchip number (currently only those in accordance with ISO standards) can be registered domestically with the import quarantine certificate. For further information, contact AIPO (Animal ID Promotion Organization).

（AIPO office）TEL：03-3475-1695, FAX：03-3475-1697