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Importing To Japan

  1. Advise on how to bring your pet into Japan
    If you are bringing in a pet from non-designated country, you must begin the following procedure around 210 days prior to the planned moving date.
    The designated countries are Taiwan, Iceland, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Hawaii, and Guam.
    (Please be sure to check the most current list of designated countries, as it is subject to change due to new discovery of rabies in certain countries, as it was the case in UK in recent years.)

    1. Have a microchip implanted (an ISO standard).
    2. First rabies vaccination
    3. The second rabies vaccination must be given 31 days after the first vaccination. Then, a blood sample (to be precise, not a blood but a “serum” sample) must be sent to the specified Japanese laboratory, by EMS or air courier. The specified laboratories in respective countries can be found on the following website.
      http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/animal/dog/lab.html
      When sending a dog’s serum to Japan, it must be enclosed along with a serum certification document, which can be downloaded at http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/animal/dog/other/dog-serum.doc (The serum certificate is not required for cats.)
    4. Once the anti-virus test results are returned as a success, the pet is allowed to be brought in after a 180-day quarantine period, counting from the blood sampling date at the country of origin, and after other recommended processes are completed, including a parasite (external and internal) treatment, no more than four days before boarding.
    5. Advance notification no less than 40 days prior.
      You are to complete the following notification form.
      http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/english/animal/dog/pdf/notification-dog.pdf
      When the notification is accepted, the permit number will be notified to you. This number must be stated in the following Form A and Form B:
      Dog notification form: http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/english/animal/dog/pdf/notification-dog.pdf
      Cat notification form: http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/english/animal/dog/pdf/notification-cat.pdf
      Sample to show how to complete the form: http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/english/animal/dog/pdf/notifi-dogcat-en.pdf

    6. 6. For certificates issued by the exporting country’s governmental quarantine office, please use of the following Form A and Form C:
      Form A http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/animal/dog/other/CertificateA041126.doc
      Form C http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/animal/dog/other/certificatec100415.doc

      IMPORTANT REMARKS
      If you import a pet without satisfying all of the above procedures, you will be required to place your pet into a quarantine facility operated by the Narita Quarantine Office. The cost is about JPY3,000 per day.
      If, for example, you did not get the rabies vaccination nor any rabies anti-virus test, you will be required to have your pet held for quarantine for a maximum of 180 days in Japan, and your total expense will come out to: 180 days x JPY3,000/day = JPY540,000.

    If you are bringing a pet from a designated countries, as long as the following conditions are cleared at the origin country and also in Japan, no quarantine period will be required as a general rule.
    Designated countries at this moment are as follows.
    Taiwan, Iceland, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Hawaii, Guam
    * Please note that the designated countries are subject to change, so please check to make sure before bringing in your pet.

    1. Have a microchip implanted (ISO standard).
    2. A pet can be brought into the country once the other recommended processes are completed, including a parasite (external and internal) treatment, no more than four days before boarding.
    3. Advance notification no less than 40 days prior.
      You are to complete the following notification form:
      http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/english/animal/dog/pdf/notification-dog.pdf
      When the notification is accepted, a permit number will be notified to you. This number must be stated in the following Form A and Form B:
      Dog notification form: http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/english/animal/dog/pdf/notification-dog.pdf
      Cat notification form: http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/english/animal/dog/pdf/notification-cat.pdf
      Sample to show how to complete the forms: http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/english/animal/dog/pdf/notifi-dogcat-en.pdf
    4. For a certificate issued by the exporting country’s governmental quarantine office, please use the following Form A and Form B (or additional ANNEX if you have a transit flight):
      FormA http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/animal/dog/other/CertificateA041126.doc
      FormB http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/animal/dog/other/certB.doc
      Annex http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/animal/dog/other/CertificateFreeTranspAnnex041004.doc
      * The above Annex is required only when the pet is brought in not by a direct flight but by using a transit flight.
      Above procedure is only a brief explanation. Please refer to the following URL for more detailed and precise instructions.
      http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/english/animal/dog/pdf/guidenonfree-e20120120.pdf
  2. Import quarantine clearance and import customs clearance.
  3. Pay the airport handling charge.
  4. Direct delivery to the Tokyo area. (If your location is a remote area away from a Tokyo airport, we will transfer your pet to a domestic flight.)