TLDR: Japan's health certificate has a trap built into it. USDA officially permits two forms for Japan exports: Form AC and the generic APHIS Form 7001. Only Form AC is designed for Japan's specific required fields. Any deficiency in…
TLDR: Japan requires pets to arrive at least 180 days after the titer test blood draw date, with the blood draw counted as Day 0. Arriving even one day before the 180-day window closes triggers detention quarantine for the remaining days at…
TLDR: Japan requires an ISO-compliant microchip to be implanted before or on the exact same day as the first rabies vaccination. Some US veterinarians apply an exception that allows microchip implantation on the day of the second vaccine, but AQS…
TLDR: Pets transiting through Tokyo Narita or Haneda Airport on the same airline are not subject to Japan's pet import requirements. The transit exemption applies as long as your pet remains in airline custody and you do not clear…
TLDR: Moving a pet from Japan to the United States is significantly simpler than the reverse. Japan is classified as a low-risk country under CDC rules, which means dogs only need a CDC Dog Import Form receipt, an ISO-compatible microchip,…
TLDR: JAL operates the only nonstop flight from Boston to Narita at approximately 14 hours. Connecting options via Seattle, Dallas, Chicago, Denver, and Houston are available through JAL and ANA. United no longer accepts general pet cargo. All flight selections must…
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…
TLDR: Japan does not quarantine every pet that arrives. Dogs and cats that complete all requirements correctly are inspected on arrival and typically released within a few hours. The 180-day detention quarantine is the penalty for arriving without meeting the…
