PawsToJapan — Move Your Cat or Dog from Canada or USA to Japan

The Full Process

8 steps. 7–9 months. Zero shortcuts.

Canada and the USA are both “non-designated regions” under Japan’s rabies law — the full protocol is mandatory. Miss a single step or get the timing wrong and your pet is detained for up to 180 days at your expense.

⚠ 2025 Alert: Biobest Laboratories (UK) was revoked from Japan’s approved FAVN lab list for results issued between November 27, 2024 – June 25, 2025. From Canada and the USA use Kansas State University Veterinary Diagnostic Lab — the only reliable North American option.

⏱

Start at least 7–9 months before your move date

The 180-day wait after the blood test alone is 6 months. Add vaccine timing, government certificate booking, and AQS advance notification (40 days before arrival). Do not start late.

Day 1 — Start Here

ISO Microchip Implant

ISO 11784/11785 compliant 15-digit microchip — must be implanted before the first rabies vaccine.

⚠ Avoid microchip numbers starting with “900 202” — Japan’s AQS will not accept them. Verify the number is readable before leaving the clinic.

Day 0 → Day 30+

Two Rabies Vaccinations

First vaccine when pet is 91+ days old. Second vaccine at least 30 days after the first, within the first vaccine’s effective period.

⚠ RNA vaccines are NOT accepted by Japan. Must be inactivated or recombinant. Request a 3-year vaccine — coverage must not expire before your Japan arrival date.

Critical Step

FAVN Blood Test — Kansas State University

Blood draw date = Day 0 of your 180-day wait. The clock starts the moment blood is drawn.

Kansas State University — Veterinary Diagnostic Lab
Required titer: ≥ 0.5 IU/ml · Valid for 2 years from blood draw date

The Long Wait

180-Day Waiting Period

Your pet must stay outside Japan for 180 days from blood draw. Arrive one day early and Japan quarantines your pet at your expense.

Formula: Blood draw date + 181 days = earliest possible Japan arrival.

40+ Days Before Arrival

Advance Notification to Japan AQS

File with the Animal Quarantine Service at your specific arrival airport at least 40 days before landing.

Submit via email or Japan’s NACCS system. Dogs can only enter through designated airports: Narita, Haneda, Kansai, Chubu, Fukuoka, and others.

Within 10 Days of Departure

Pre-Export Clinical Inspection

A licensed vet confirms no signs of rabies (all pets) and leptospirosis (dogs only). Must be documented in your government certificate.

Before Departure

Government Export Certificate

Canada: CFIA-endorsed Form AC — book government vet appointment early, wait times 1–3 weeks.
USA: USDA APHIS via VEHCS online — faster and mostly digital.

⚠ No pencil. No correction fluid. No erasable ink. One error = up to 180-day detention quarantine in Japan.

Arrival Day

Import Inspection at Japan AQS

Present all original documents at the AQS counter. If everything is correct, your pet clears in under 12 hours.

✓ Original CFIA or USDA APHIS certificate ✓ KSU blood test result ✓ AQS Advance Notification Approval ✓ Import Inspection Application

Get the Guide

Choose your package

Every step covered, every deadline flagged, every document explained. We’ve done this — so you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Complete Guide PDF

$47 USD one-time

Full 8-step process — Canada & USA editions
Vaccine timing rules and the chain you can’t break
KSU blood sample mailing instructions
CFIA appointment guide (Canada)
USDA APHIS + VEHCS walkthrough (USA)
Form AC field-by-field explanation
Master checklist — tick off every step
Booster and expiry scenarios covered
Arrival day document checklist
Last verified: June 2025

Buy PDF Guide — $47

Best Value

Guide + Japan AQS Service

$147 USD one-time

Everything in the PDF Guide
We handle your 40-day Advance Notification to Japan AQS
We communicate with the airport quarantine office in Japanese
Confirm your arrival airport has capacity for your pet
Verify your timeline with the actual AQS officer
Written summary of all communications sent to you
One follow-up question answered by email
Peace of mind your filing is done correctly

Get Guide + AQS Service — $147

Why This Exists

We learned the hard way so you don’t have to

Moving from Canada or the USA to Japan with pets is one of the most bureaucratically painful relocation experiences a person can go through. Japan is rabies-free and intends to stay that way — their import rules are among the strictest in the world.

When we did it, the information was scattered across government PDF files, outdated blog posts, and terrifying Reddit threads where people discovered mid-process they’d used the wrong vaccine type. We nearly made the same mistakes.

We’re native Japanese speakers and have personally navigated the CFIA, USDA, and Japan AQS systems. The AQS Service exists because sometimes you need someone who actually speaks the language to make the call for you.

180

Days your pet could spend in Japanese quarantine if you get the timing wrong — at your expense

7–9

Months minimum you need to start before your move. Most people find out too late.

Approved North American blood test lab: Kansas State University. Not your local vet lab.

<12h

Airport quarantine time if your documents are correct. In and out the same day.

FAQ

Common questions

Can I use a Canadian or US lab for the blood test?

No. Japan requires the FAVN test at a designated laboratory. From Canada and the USA, Kansas State University Veterinary Diagnostic Lab is the only approved North American option.

What if my vaccine expires before the 180 days are up?

You must booster before it expires — not after. If you miss the expiry by even one day, Japan treats it as a new first vaccine and your 180-day clock resets entirely. The guide covers this with exact timing rules.

Do cats have the same requirements as dogs?

Mostly yes — microchip, two vaccines, FAVN blood test, 180-day wait, government certificate, AQS notification. Dogs have one extra requirement: a leptospirosis check at the pre-export inspection. Cats also have slightly more flexibility on entry airports.

What does the Japan AQS Service involve?

We contact the AQS office at your intended entry airport in Japanese, file your Advance Notification, confirm your timeline is valid, verify the facility has capacity for your pet, and send you a written summary. Especially valuable if your timeline is tight or anything in your case is unusual.

Is the process different for Canada vs USA?

80% identical. Canada uses CFIA (in-person appointment), USA uses USDA APHIS via VEHCS online (faster). Everything else — KSU blood test, 180-day wait, AQS process — is identical.

How often do Japan’s requirements change?

The core 8-step process has been stable for years. Edge cases change occasionally — like lab revocations or microchip series issues. The guide is stamped with a last-verified date and updated when AQS makes official changes.

Don’t let Japan’s 180-day rule catch you by surprise