Japan is quite strict about pet importation. Among all the countries in the world, except for six, a lot of preparations are required: including annual vaccinations, serum certification, and advance declarations, etc.
So, around 2020, considering moving to Japan to live, I started preparing for the immigration of my cat 😺🛫🇯🇵.
I know there are many guides on the internet about pet immigration to Japan. Actually, the best version is the official instructions provided by the Japanese Animal Quarantine Service, which most guides fail to mention. I've listed it here:
https://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/animal/dog/import-other.html
Essentially, all the knowledge you need can be obtained from here. Moreover, the Quarantine Service also kindly provides a Chinese version of the document, which can be downloaded here.
The basic process is also listed, totaling eight steps:
Below, I will share the key points and precautions of these steps based on my experience.
🏷️ Microchipping and Rabies Vaccination
Since Japan requires a 180-day waiting period after completing the vaccine and serum test for imported pets, our process needed to be initiated at least 7 months before bringing the pet to Japan.
My advice is to start a year in advance, as there may be many uncontrollable factors 🤔📅.
The first thing is to take your cat to a local reputable pet hospital for a rabies vaccination, and on the same day, implant a pet identification microchip in the back of the neck.
On this day, please inform the pet hospital that your purpose is to take the cat abroad, so the pet's vaccine registration book must have a vaccine sticker. Later, when declaring, the date of vaccination, brand, number, validity, etc., all need to be truthfully filled in. All subsequent vaccinations also need to be carried out according to the same requirements.
The implanted chip must comply with ISO 11784 and 11785 standards, each chip has a unique 15-digit number, which also needs to be filled in at the time of declaration. After arriving in Japan, the entry quarantine will scan the chip to confirm the cat's identity.
By completing this operation, you will obtain:
- 📖 Pet Health Book
- 💉 Vaccine injection record on the Pet Health Book
- 🏷️ Microchip number sticker
💉 Second Vaccination
31 days after the first vaccination, you need to go to the hospital for a second vaccination, and on the same day, collect serum for rabies vaccine antibody testing.
Regarding the serum antibody test, it is regrettable that there are no institutions in China that can issue a certificate. Our blood samples were sent to a laboratory at a university in Germany for testing. The Japanese Animal Quarantine Service has a designated list for reference, and if the pet hospital is proficient in their business, they should also know how to proceed.
It may take a month to receive the serum test report. If the antibody concentration reaches 0.5IU/ml, it is qualified. If not qualified, you need to re-vaccinate and re-collect serum.
Each serum report is valid for two years. That is to say, within two years of bringing the cat to Japan, there is no need to redo the serum sampling test.
But there is one thing to note about the vaccine:
❗️No matter how long the vaccine manufacturer claims the validity period is, in China, the validity period of the rabies vaccine is only one year. Therefore, starting from the first vaccination, if the pet is not brought to Japan within the first year, an additional vaccination must be administered every year. Otherwise, the Animal Quarantine Service will refuse the pet's entry❗️
By completing this operation, you will obtain:
- 💉 Vaccine injection record x2 on the Pet Health Book
- 🩸 Rabies antibody serum certificate
🏠 Stay Home for 180 Days
After completing the second vaccination, according to the requirements, the cat needs to stay at home for 180 days. If the serum report is normal, then you can wait until 40 days before departure to declare.
📝 Advance Declaration
The method of declaration is to send an email to the airport you are about to enter. For specific email addresses, please refer to this PDF
After sending them an email explaining your
intention, they will ask you for some basic information and require you to fill out a form "Advance Notification Form".
This form will require you to fill in all previous information about vaccinations, microchip implantation, and serum sampling, please fill in as required, and then send it to them.
If there is any problem, they will ask you to correct the information.
If everything goes smoothly, you will eventually get an APPROVED NUMBER, and three new forms, namely Form AC, Application for Import Inspection of Rabies-Related Animals, and Acceptance of Animal Import. All need to be filled out as needed.
By completing this operation, you will obtain:
- 📝 Advance Notification Form
- 📝 APPROVED NUMBER
- 📝 Form AC
- 📝 Application for Import Inspection of Rabies-Related Animals
- 📝 Acceptance of Animal Import
📅 Book Flight Tickets and Oxygenated Cabin for Pets
When making an advance declaration, you should start booking flight tickets and oxygenated cabins. The specific process is to call the corresponding airline. The airline I used this time is ANA, the whole process is to first ask the customer service which flight has oxygenated cabins, then book that flight, and then call to confirm the oxygenated cabin reservation.
Note that the oxygenated cabins on the plane are limited, first come, first served. So it's better to confirm early.
When booking, you need to submit the cat's weight, the size, and weight of the pet carrier. So please measure in advance.
The pet carrier needs to be purchased in advance, buy the right size according to your cat's size. You can also buy a blackout cover and pee pad, which is better for the cat.
🛂 Completing the Departure Procedures in China
The FormAC obtained in the advance declaration needs to be taken to the pet hospital for the subsequent process, including physician signature, hospital stamp, and stamp from the Chinese pet quarantine department.
Additionally, before departure, you need to go to the local entry and exit quarantine office in China to obtain an "Animal Health Certificate". Please note that this certificate is only valid for 14 days, so make sure your flight is within the 14-day validity period.
Next, send the scanned copies of the stamped and signed Form AC and the Animal Health Certificate to the Japanese Animal Quarantine Service, and obtain their confirmation.
After completing this step, you need to carry the following paper documents:
- 📝 Application for Animal Import Inspection
- 📝 Stamped and signed version of Form AC
- 📝 Serum antibody test report
- 📝 Original and photocopy of the Animal Health Certificate
As well as electronic versions of all documents, ready to board.
🛫 Departure and Arrival
Stop feeding and watering the cat the day before departure. After arriving at the airport, follow the airport staff's instructions to place the pet carrier at the luggage check-in area.
After entering, you need to stay at the animal quarantine for a while, possibly an hour. During this time, the staff will check the microchip and the cat's condition.
That's all.
Cats that successfully enter Japan will receive a residence certificate 🐱💼.
Cats and dogs then gain "permanent" residence in Japan and can stay for a long time 🐱🇯🇵.
Compared to that, it's not easy for humans to obtain "permanent" residence 😔.
So, in the real world, dogs (and cats) have it better 🐶🤷♀️.
