2026-09-10

Moving to Japan with pets without spending time in quarantine

Japan is a rabies-free country and has some of the strictest pet importation laws in the world. If you do not follow the exact procedure, your pet could face up to a 180-day quarantine at the airport facility at your expense.

To avoid quarantine, your pet needs a microchip, two separate rabies vaccinations, and a rabies titer test from an approved lab. Most importantly, you must wait exactly 180 days from the date of the successful titer blood draw before arriving in Japan.

Additionally, Japan requires an Advanced Notification form submitted at least 40 days prior to your arrival. Organizing these deadlines is notoriously stressful, which is why Pet Passport’s policy checker can automatically calculate these milestones for you.