TLDR: Japan requires an ISO 11784/11785-compliant microchip implanted before or on the same day as the first rabies vaccination. Japan also only accepts inactivated or recombinant/modified rabies vaccines. Live virus and RNA vaccines are not accepted. An error at either of these two foundation steps forces a complete restart of the entire import process.
Two of the most common reasons a Japan pet import fails before it even starts are a non-compliant microchip and the wrong type of rabies vaccine. Both errors force a complete restart. Here is what Japan requires for each, and what to confirm with your veterinarian before any procedures begin.
All dogs and cats entering Japan must be identified with an ISO 11784/11785-compliant microchip. The correct format is a 15-digit numeric code. This is the international standard used across the majority of countries and is readable by ISO-compatible scanners at all AQS inspection facilities.
If your pet already has a microchip that is not ISO 11784/11785-compliant, a new ISO-compliant chip must be implanted. The non-compliant chip does not need to be removed, but the ISO-compliant chip number is the one that must appear on every document: the health certificate, the titer test result, the advance notification, and the import application. If your pet has two chips, ensure your veterinarian records both numbers on all paperwork and clearly identifies which is the ISO-compliant chip. AQS scanners may pick up either chip at inspection, and any mismatch between the chip number scanned and the number on the certificates will trigger detention quarantine.
Microchip sequencing is critical. The microchip must be implanted before or on the exact same day as the first rabies vaccination. If the vaccination is given before the microchip is implanted, it is invalid and the entire process must restart from the first vaccination. There are no exceptions to this rule.
If your pet does not have an ISO-compliant microchip, implant one before scheduling any vaccination appointments.
Japan accepts only two types of rabies vaccine: inactivated (killed) virus vaccines and recombinant/modified vaccines. Both must comply with the standards of the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH). Live virus vaccines and RNA vaccines are not accepted under any circumstances.
This is a point of significant confusion for pet owners moving from countries where RNA rabies vaccines are in standard use. If your pet received an RNA vaccine, that vaccination is invalid for Japan regardless of when it was given. The process must restart with a compliant vaccine type.
Before any rabies vaccination is given, ask your veterinarian to confirm the vaccine type. If they are unsure, ask for the product name so you can confirm the type independently. Do not proceed with the vaccination until the vaccine type is confirmed as inactivated or recombinant/modified. Once the needle is in, the vaccination counts, and if it is the wrong type, the clock resets.
Do not ask your veterinarian to recommend a specific brand. Japan's requirement is based on vaccine type, not brand. Any inactivated or recombinant/modified vaccine that complies with WOAH standards is acceptable. Your veterinarian will be familiar with which products in their inventory qualify.
The microchip and the first rabies vaccination are the two foundation steps of the entire Japan import process. Every subsequent step, the second vaccination, the blood draw, the 180-day wait, the advance notification, the health certificate, depends on both being done correctly and in the right order.
Getting the microchip implanted first, on the same day as the first vaccination if needed, and confirming the vaccine type before it is administered are the two actions that protect everything that follows. A mistake at either step means starting over from the beginning. For a full overview of all Japan import requirements, see our Japan pet import guide.
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A new ISO 11784/11785-compliant chip must be implanted. The existing chip does not need to be removed. Have your veterinarian record both chip numbers on all paperwork and clearly indicate which is the ISO-compliant chip. The ISO chip number is the one that must appear on all Japan import documents.
No. Japan's requirement is for ISO 11784/11785 compliance, not a specific brand. Any microchip that meets this standard and produces a 15-digit numeric code is acceptable. Confirm with your vet that the chip they use is ISO 11784/11785-compliant before implantation.
Ask your veterinarian or the clinic that administered the vaccine to confirm the vaccine type. Japan requires inactivated (killed) or recombinant/modified vaccines complying with WOAH standards. Live virus and RNA vaccines do not qualify. If the vaccine type cannot be confirmed, treat it as non-compliant and plan accordingly.
The vaccination is invalid for Japan. A new vaccination with a compliant vaccine type must be given, and the process restarts from the first vaccination. The microchip must already be implanted before the new vaccination is given.