When do the 180 days start for Japan?

The 180 days are counted from the date the blood sample for the rabies antibody test was drawn, with that date counted as day 0. Not from the vaccination date and not from the day the laboratory issued the result.

Bringing your dog or cat to Japan from the USA in 2026

Q: Which rabies vaccines are refused by Japan?

Japan accepts inactivated (killed) and recombinant rabies vaccines. Live virus vaccines and RNA vaccines are not accepted, so check the type of vaccine used before the first injection.

Q: How early must I notify the Animal Quarantine Service?

The advance notification must reach the Animal Quarantine Service at the expected port of entry not less than 40 days before arrival. In principle a notification submitted later is not accepted, and moving the arrival date earlier after submitting is not allowed either.

Q: Can my pet fly into any Japanese airport?

No. Dogs and cats can only enter Japan through designated airports and seaports, where the Animal Quarantine Service inspects them. If the import requirements are met, quarantine lasts under 12 hours.

Last updated: September 10, 2026: verified against the Japanese Animal Quarantine Service (MAFF).

Japan is rabies free and runs the strictest timeline of any destination in this guide. Everything hangs on one date: the day the blood sample for the rabies antibody test was drawn. From that day, 180 days must pass before your pet can arrive, and an advance notification has to reach the Animal Quarantine Service at least 40 days before the flight. Arrive with the file complete and your pet is released in under 12 hours. Arrive with a gap and it is held at a quarantine facility for up to 180 days, at your expense, or sent home.

The 180 days run from the blood sample

Not from the rabies vaccination, not from the day the laboratory issued the result: from the date the sample was drawn, counted as day 0. A sample taken today means your pet can arrive from day 181. Everything else on this page exists to protect that date.

180 days from the sample

A dog on the tarmac before a flight to Japan — Rules verified September 2026.

The 8 steps

Microchip (ISO 11784/11785), before the first rabies vaccination: 15 digits, numbers only, and it must read on the clinic's scanner. A vaccination given before the chip does not count, and if the number cannot be read at arrival the pet is refused entry to the import programme.
First rabies vaccination, at 91 days of age or older: Japan counts the date of birth as day 0, so a vaccine given at 84 or 90 days is invalid, even where local rules allow it. Only inactivated (killed) or recombinant vaccines are accepted: live virus and RNA vaccines are refused.
Second rabies vaccination, 30 days or more after the first: it must fall inside the effective period of the first vaccination, and the effective period must still cover the arrival date. If it lapses, the process restarts from the first vaccination.
Rabies antibody test at a designated laboratory: the blood must be drawn after the second vaccination (the same day is allowed) and the result must be 0.5 IU/ml or higher. The result is valid for 2 years from the sampling date, and the laboratory must be on the Japanese list of designated laboratories.
Wait 180 days from the sampling date: this is the step that catches people who book early. The arrival date must also sit inside the vaccine's effective period and inside the 2-year validity of the antibody test. Arriving short of 180 days means detention at an Animal Quarantine Service facility for the missing days.
Advance notification, at least 40 days before arrival: sent to the Animal Quarantine Service at the expected port of entry, online through NACCS or by email. The service then issues an Approval of Import Inspection of Animals, which you print or save for boarding. In principle a late notification is not accepted, and moving your arrival date earlier after submitting is not allowed.
Clinical inspection within 10 days before boarding, then government certificates: a vet confirms the animal shows no clinical signs of rabies (and for dogs, no signs of leptospirosis), then Form AC is completed and endorsed by the government veterinarian of the exporting country, in the US that means USDA APHIS. No pencil, no erasable ink, no correction fluid: a deficient certificate means detention or a flight home.
Arrive only at a designated airport or seaport: an Animal Quarantine Service officer checks the microchip, the certificates and the animal. If everything is in order the quarantine lasts under 12 hours. Random rabies antibody monitoring is also carried out at Narita, Haneda, Chubu and Kansai.

Timeline, counted backwards from your flight

Step 1MicrochipBefore the first vaccination, and readable on a scanner.

Step 2First rabies vaccinationAt 91 days of age or older, killed or recombinant vaccine only.

Step 3Second vaccination30 days or more after the first, inside its effective period.

Step 4Antibody testDesignated laboratory, 0.5 IU/ml or higher, sample drawn after the second vaccine.

Step 5180 daysCounted from the sampling date. Arrival from day 181.

Step 6NotificationAt least 40 days before arrival, or it is not accepted.

Step 7CertificatesClinical inspection and endorsed Form AC within 10 days of boarding.

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Want the whole process in one printable document? Japan Country Pack, 6 pages, dog and cat: $12

How long it really takes

Add it up before you book anything: the first vaccination cannot happen before 91 days of age, the second follows at least 30 days later, the blood sample comes after that, and then 180 days must pass. The earliest realistic travel age for a puppy or kitten is around 10 months. A pet already vaccinated and tested can travel sooner, provided the blood sample is at least 180 days old on arrival.

What it costs

Two rabies vaccinations: $50 to $120 depending on the clinic.
Rabies antibody test at a designated laboratory: about $150 to $350 including the blood draw, paid to the laboratory and your vet.
Clinical inspection and Form AC: $80 to $200 at the vet, plus the USDA APHIS endorsement fee.
Airline pet fee: $125 to $300 in cabin or cargo, depending on size and airline.
Japan does not charge a fee to clear a compliant pet, but a pet that falls short of 180 days goes into a detention facility, and that is where the money disappears.

Three traps worth reading twice

The 180 days are counted from the sample, not from the vaccination and not from the result. Planning the trip around the vaccination date is the single most common way to lose 180 days.

RNA and live rabies vaccines are refused. Some countries now use RNA rabies vaccines. Japan does not accept them, and the error is only discovered when the file is checked at the airport.

A late notification cannot be fixed. The advance notification must arrive at least 40 days before landing, and after it is submitted the arrival date cannot be moved earlier. Both mistakes push the trip back by weeks, not days.

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Frequently asked questions

When do the 180 days start?

On the date the blood sample for the rabies antibody test was drawn, counted as day 0. The arrival date must be after those 180 days. Not from the vaccination, and not from the day the laboratory issued its report.

Which rabies vaccines does Japan accept?

Inactivated (killed) and recombinant vaccines. Live virus vaccines and RNA vaccines are not accepted. Check the vaccine type before the first injection, because the mistake cannot be corrected later in the process.

How early must I notify the Animal Quarantine Service?

The advance notification must reach the service at the expected port of entry not less than 40 days before arrival, online through NACCS or by email. In principle a later notification is not accepted, and after submitting you cannot move the arrival date earlier.

Can my pet fly into any Japanese airport?

No. Dogs and cats enter only through designated airports and seaports, where the inspection happens. If the import requirements are met, the quarantine lasts under 12 hours.

What if I arrive a few days short of 180 days?

The pet is held at an Animal Quarantine Service detention facility for the missing days, at your expense, and the facility can be full. Finalising the 180 days before arrival is strongly recommended, and in practice it avoids the whole problem.

Book the blood sample before the flights. From the moment the sample reaches the designated laboratory, the calendar is fixed: 180 days plus a 40-day notification delay set the earliest possible arrival, and no vet visit, no payment and no airline can shorten it.

Official sources

Animal Quarantine Service (MAFF), importing dogs and cats from non-designated regions: maff.go.jp/aqs/english/animal/dog/import-other.html
Import guide, non-designated regions (PDF): maff.go.jp/aqs/english/animal/dog/attach/pdf/index-1.pdf
Quarantine regulations for dogs and cats (overview): maff.go.jp/aqs/english/animal/dog/index.html
List of designated laboratories: maff.go.jp/aqs/animal/dog/lab.html
USDA APHIS pet travel: aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel

PetPass Ready is an independent tool and is not affiliated with the Animal Quarantine Service or any government agency. Requirements change: always confirm on the official pages above before you book.