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Country entry guide · Asia

Traveling to Japan with your dog

Difficulty: Difficult — long lead time and a fixed 180-day wait ⏱ Several months to prepare

Japan welcomes dogs, but it applies one of the world's strictest rabies-control schemes — not the EU framework. For almost every country, the process is long and cannot be rushed: an ISO microchip, then at least two rabies vaccinations, a rabies antibody test at a designated laboratory, and a compulsory 180-day waiting period after the blood is drawn before your dog may arrive. You must also notify the Animal Quarantine Service (AQS) at least 40 days before arrival. Only a short list of rabies-free "designated regions" (Iceland, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Hawaii and Guam) follows a simpler path. If every condition is met, quarantine on arrival is under 12 hours; if not, your dog can be detained for up to 180 days. Start at least seven months ahead.

📋 At a glance

Dogs allowed	Yes
Microchip (ISO)	Required
Rabies vaccination (twice or more)	Required
Rabies antibody test (≥0.5 IU/ml)	Required (non-designated regions)
180-day waiting period	Required (non-designated regions)
Advance notification to AQS (≥40 days)	Required
Government veterinary certificate	Required
Quarantine on arrival	≤12 h if compliant; up to 180 days if not

⚠️ Important

MyDogCanFly provides general information — not veterinary or legal advice.
Only a veterinarian and the Animal Quarantine Service (AQS) can confirm the exact procedure for your individual dog.
The 180-day waiting period after the blood draw is fixed and cannot be shortened — plan at least seven months ahead.
Requirements depend on: the country of origin, previous travel history, identification, vaccinations, the itinerary and the travel date.

Always consult your veterinarian before booking your trip.

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Find a flight to Japan

Compare the airlines that accept dogs and check their conditions.

🔎 Find a flight to Japan

🧭 How your dog's entry requirements are decided

1
Country of destination — Japan★★★★★
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Country of departure★★★★★
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Countries your dog recently stayed in★★★★☆

✅ Entry requirements

Requirement	Required?	Exceptions	Official reference
ISO microchip	Required	A non-ISO microchip is accepted only if you bring a reader that can read it; contact the AQS at the port of entry.	AQS/MAFF — Import (Step 1)
Rabies vaccination (twice or more)	Required	Live-virus and RNA rabies vaccines are NOT accepted. A vaccination before microchipping is invalid.	AQS/MAFF — Import (Step 2)
Rabies antibody test	Required (non-designated regions)	Not required from designated regions (Iceland, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Hawaii, Guam).	AQS/MAFF — Import (Step 3); designated laboratories
180-day waiting period	Required (non-designated regions)	Not required from designated regions. Arriving early means detention quarantine for the missing days.	AQS/MAFF — Import (Step 4)
Advance notification to AQS	Required	A notification submitted less than 40 days before arrival is, in principle, not accepted.	AQS/MAFF — Import (Step 5)
Pre-export clinical inspection	Required	—	AQS/MAFF — Import (Step 6)
Government veterinary certificate	Required	Deficient certificates lead to detention quarantine (up to 180 days) or return of the animal.	AQS/MAFF — Import (Step 7)
Import inspection on arrival	Required	Dogs may enter only through designated airports/seaports.	AQS/MAFF — Import (Step 8)
Detention quarantine	Only if non-compliant	Compliant dogs are cleared within 12 hours and are not quarantined.	AQS/MAFF — Import inspection
Puppies / minimum age	Effectively ~9–10 months	A shot given under 91 days old is invalid under Japanese rules and the procedure must restart.	AQS/MAFF — Import (Steps 2–4)

🗓 In what order, and when

Some steps only count once the previous one is done — check each deadline against the official reference above.

ISO microchipImplanted before the first rabies vaccination; ISO 11784/11785 (15-digit numeric code).
Rabies vaccination (twice or more)1st shot: dog ≥91 days old and after the microchip. 2nd shot: ≥30 days after the 1st and within its validity. Inactivated or recombinant vaccine only.
Rabies antibody testBlood drawn after the 2nd vaccination, at an AQS-designated laboratory; result ≥0.5 IU/ml; valid 2 years from sampling.
180-day waiting periodDog may arrive only after 180 days have passed from the date of blood sampling (day of sampling = day 0), and within vaccine and titre validity.
Advance notification to AQSNotify the AQS at the expected port of entry at least 40 days before arrival, via NACCS online or the notification form by e-mail.
Pre-export clinical inspectionBy a veterinarian within 10 days before boarding; dog free of clinical signs of rabies and (for dogs) leptospirosis.
Government veterinary certificateCertificate issued/endorsed by the exporting country's government agency (recommended Form AC / Form AB) recording microchip, vaccinations, titre and clinical exam.
Import inspection on arrivalApply to the AQS on arrival; if all conditions are met, clearance is within 12 hours and an import quarantine certificate is issued.
Detention quarantineDogs that do not meet requirements (early arrival, deficient certificate) are detained at an AQS facility for the necessary period, up to 180 days, at the owner's cost.
Puppies / minimum age1st rabies shot only valid at ≥91 days old; +30 days to the 2nd shot, +180-day wait — so a dog cannot complete the process much before ~9–10 months of age.

🌍 The different cases

Designated (rabies-free) regions — simplified

From Iceland, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Hawaii or Guam the process is simpler: ISO microchip, proof of continuous residence (since birth, or at least 180 days before export, or since import from Japan), a pre-export clinical inspection, a government certificate (Form AB) and the 40-day advance notification. No rabies vaccination, antibody test or 180-day wait is required, and compliant dogs clear in under 12 hours.

⏱ Designated rabies-free regions: a few weeks — microchip, residence proof, government certificate, and the 40-day advance notification.

All other regions — full scheme completed

From every other country (including the EU, the US, Canada and the UK), your dog needs an ISO microchip, at least two rabies vaccinations, an antibody test ≥0.5 IU/ml at a designated laboratory, a compulsory 180-day wait after the blood draw, advance notification ≥40 days, a pre-export clinical inspection and a government certificate (Form AC). Done correctly and in advance, quarantine on arrival is under 12 hours — but it takes about seven months to prepare.

⏱ All other regions (requirements completed): ~7+ months — two rabies shots 30 days apart, antibody test, then a compulsory 180-day wait before arrival.

Arriving non-compliant — detention quarantine

If a dog from a non-designated region arrives before the 180-day wait is complete, with a missing antibody test, or with a deficient certificate, the AQS detains it at a quarantine facility for the necessary period — up to 180 days — at the owner's expense, or returns it to the exporting country. This is why the whole procedure must be finished before departure.

⏱ All other regions (arriving non-compliant): detention quarantine in Japan for the missing days, up to 180 days, at the owner's expense.

🛬 Arrival

What happens when your dog reaches Japan depends entirely on whether every condition was completed before departure.

Dogs may enter only through designated airports (New Chitose, Narita, Haneda, Chubu, Kansai, Osaka Itami, Kobe, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Naha) and designated seaports.
Apply for import inspection with the AQS on arrival, presenting the original government certificate and the antibody-test result report.
If all conditions are met, inspection takes under 12 hours and the AQS issues an import quarantine certificate — keep it, as it cannot be reissued.
If conditions are not met, the dog is held in detention quarantine for up to 180 days at the owner's expense, or returned.
Failing to have a dog inspected is an offence punishable by up to 3 years' imprisonment or a fine of up to ¥3 million.
After entry, register the dog with the local municipality within 30 days and keep up the annual rabies vaccination required in Japan.

🛫 Leaving the country (return trip)

Leaving Japan with your dog needs an export quarantine certificate from the Animal Quarantine Service (AQS) — apply at least 10 days ahead.

Apply for export inspection to the AQS at least 10 days before, with the destination's entry documents attached.
On site, before the flight On departure day, the airport AQS office inspects the dog and issues the English export certificate (about 30–60 minutes).

⚠️ An ISO microchip is required; airport AQS offices operate 8:30–16:30.

🔗 Authority: AQS (Japon)

🚫 Restricted dogs

Japan has no breed-specific import ban: no dog breed is prohibited from entering the country, and requirements are the same for every breed provided the rabies scheme is completed.

Category 1

There is no national list of banned or 'dangerous' breeds at import. Breeds restricted elsewhere (pit-bull types, Tosa, Rottweiler, etc.) are not prohibited from entering Japan — the Tosa is itself a Japanese breed.

Category 2

Dangerous-dog control in Japan is handled locally: some prefectures and municipalities can designate an individual dog as dangerous (often after a biting incident) and impose keeping conditions. This is case-by-case conduct-based regulation, not a breed import restriction.

Because rules can vary by prefecture and city, check the local municipality's ordinances for the place where the dog will live, and confirm airline breed policies separately.

✈️ Airlines flying to Japan with a dog

Carriers we document that serve this country and accept dogs. The verdict is the airline's general policy — it does not prejudge your breed, your crate or your exact route.

ANA (All Nippon Airways)🇯🇵 4 airports Hold Japan Airlines (JAL)🇯🇵 4 airports Hold Finnair 4 airports Cabin Vietnam Airlines 4 airports Cabin China Eastern Airlines 4 airports Hold Singapore Airlines 4 airports Hold

+40 more documented airlines accept dogs to this country. 1 carrier serving this country is not listed here: refusal or undocumented pet policy. See all airlines →

🛂 Airports in Japan

Check where your dog can relieve itself at each airport — and whether it's before or after security.

Nagoya NGO Osaka KIX Tokyo HND Tokyo NRT

Japan with a dog: common questions

Japan: What does my dog need to enter?

Japan requires: ISO microchip, Rabies vaccination (twice or more), Rabies antibody test, 180-day waiting period, Advance notification to AQS.

Japan: Is a rabies antibody test required?

Japan — Rabies antibody test: Required (non-designated regions). Blood drawn after the 2nd vaccination, at an AQS-designated laboratory; result ≥0.5 IU/ml; valid 2 years from sampling.

Japan: Are any dog breeds banned?

Japan has no breed-specific import ban: no dog breed is prohibited from entering the country, and requirements are the same for every breed provided the rabies scheme is completed.

Japan: How long does it take to prepare a dog?

Designated rabies-free regions: a few weeks — microchip, residence proof, government certificate, and the 40-day advance notification. All other regions (arriving non-compliant): detention quarantine in Japan for the missing days, up to 180 days, at the owner's expense.

Japan: Do domestic flights have the same requirements?

Domestic flight in Japan: no quarantine or certificate for internal travel — animal quarantine applies only to international movement. Every dog over 91 days must be registered and vaccinated against rabies annually — an ownership duty under the Rabies Prevention Act, independent of travel.…

Japan: What is needed to leave with a dog?