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Quarantine guide · US mainland → Japan · Dogs & cats

Taking your pet from the US mainland to Japan

Japan is rabies-free, so the entry process is long. The US mainland is not one of the regions Japan exempts (unlike Hawaii and Guam), so the full protocol applies: even in the fastest case it takes about seven months from microchip to departure, and that period cannot be shortened.

Official rules last verified: 2026-09-16

Entry date calculator

Enter the blood draw date to see when the 180-day wait ends and your pet can enter Japan. Add a planned departure date to check whether it works.

Enter the blood draw date to see the result here.

This only calculates the waiting period. It does not check the microchip and vaccination order, the first dose’s validity or airline conditions.

Airline conditions and scheduling in the app →

The essentials

Step by step

Order matters. A vaccination given before the microchip, or a second dose given after the first has expired, is not accepted, and you start over.

  1. Microchip

    First

    Implant an ISO 11784/11785 microchip. It must come before the rabies vaccination; any dose given before the chip is not recognized.

  2. First rabies vaccination

    After the chip · same day is fine

    Only doses given at 91 days of age or older count. The vaccine must be inactivated or recombinant; live vaccines are not accepted. Ask for the certificate in English.

  3. Second rabies vaccination

    At least 30 days after the first

    Give it at least 30 days after the first dose and before the first dose expires. A dose given after the first has expired does not count as a booster, and the series starts again.

    Already had both shots? The app checks whether your dates clear the 30-day gap and the first shot's validity. Check in the app →

  4. Rabies titer test (blood draw)

    After the second dose

    Blood is drawn to measure the rabies antibody level. The result must be 0.5 IU/mL or higher, and only tests run at a laboratory designated by Japan’s MAFF are accepted. In the US those are the Kansas State University Rabies Laboratory for the general public, and the US Army Public Health Command diagnostic laboratory for military-affiliated owners. The result is valid for two years from the blood draw.

  5. 180-day waiting period

    Blood draw = day 0

    Your pet can enter Japan only once 180 days have passed since the blood draw. This period cannot be shortened; if you arrive early, your pet is held at the Animal Quarantine Service for the remaining days. You can prepare the paperwork below while you wait.

    Enter the draw date and the app dates the end of the 180 days, and flags a departure set before it. Check in the app →

  6. Advance notification (NACCS)

    At least 40 days before arrival

    Submit the advance notification to the Animal Quarantine Service, online via NACCS or by email or fax to the office at your arrival airport, and receive the approval notice first. It lists the microchip number, vaccination history and titer result.

  7. Health certificate + APHIS endorsement

    Within 10 days before departure

    Have a USDA-accredited veterinarian issue the health certificate, then have USDA APHIS endorse it. Only with that endorsement does it count as the government-issued quarantine certificate Japan requires. Form AC is the recommended format for departures from the US mainland (Form AB is only for Hawaii and Guam). Bring it with the approval notice on arrival day.

  8. Departure and arrival in Japan

    Departure day

    You must arrive at one of the 11 airports designated by MAFF (Narita, Haneda, Kansai, New Chitose and others). Arriving elsewhere can mean entry is refused, so check before booking. For dogs, an echinococcus deworming before departure is recommended, though not required.

Documents to carry on arrival day

Frequently asked questions

Is there any way to shorten the 180-day wait?

No. Under MAFF rules the waiting period cannot be shortened, and arriving early means detention for the missing days. The only option is to set your departure at least 180 days after the blood draw.

I heard Hawaii and Guam have a shorter process. Does that apply to the mainland?

No. Japan recognizes Hawaii and Guam as rabies-free regions, so pets that meet the conditions are exempt from the titer test and the waiting period. The US mainland is not included, so two doses, the titer test and the 180-day wait all apply.

Can any laboratory run the titer test?

The blood is drawn at a clinic, but the test itself is accepted only from a laboratory designated by Japan’s Minister of Agriculture. In the US that is the Kansas State University Rabies Laboratory for the general public; the US Army Public Health Command laboratory serves military-affiliated owners only. The micro-RFFIT method is not accepted.

My pet was vaccinated first and microchipped later.

Doses given before the microchip are not recognized. You need to restart with the first dose after the chip, which means about seven months again until departure.

Is the process the same for cats?

Yes. Microchip, two doses, titer test, 180-day wait and advance notification are all identical. Only the deworming recommendation applies to dogs.

What is the difference between Form AC and Form AB?

Form AB is only for US pets departing from Hawaii or Guam. Form AC is the recommended form for departures from the mainland. Either way, a USDA-accredited veterinarian completes it and APHIS endorses it.

Sources and verification dates

This guide is reference information compiled from publicly available official rules. Final decisions rest with the Animal Quarantine Service, USDA APHIS and your airline, and actual procedures may differ as rules change or depending on conditions on the day. Please confirm directly with the authorities and your airline before you travel.

If you need help with dates and scheduling

Enter your pet’s vaccination dates and planned departure in the TabiPet app, and it lays out the steps above around your own dates. Your first diagnosis is free.

  • Vaccination order and validity checks
  • Document deadlines and D‑Day alerts
  • Airline boarding conditions by weight and breed
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