How to bring your cat to Japan from the US: avoiding the 180-day quarantine 2026
Last updated: May 2026 · 8 min read
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Before you book: check these in order
- 1Is your cat's microchip implanted and confirmed readable? (Must be done before any vaccinations)
- 2Has your cat received two rabies vaccinations after microchipping, at least 30 days apart?
- 3Has the rabies titer test blood been drawn, and have 180 days passed since that draw?
- 4Have you filed the AQS Advance Notification Form at least 40 days before arrival?
The process for avoiding the 180-day quarantine is well-documented, but it requires starting at least seven to eight months before your travel date and doing everything in a specific sequence.
In practice, most moves from the US take seven to eight months from start to finish when you account for microchipping, two vaccinations, the 30-day gap between vaccines, the blood draw, the 180-day wait, and advance notification.
Why 180 days
Japan is rabies-free. To maintain that status, Japan requires proof that every incoming animal has been free of rabies exposure for a period longer than the rabies incubation period. The 180-day waiting period runs from the date of the rabies titer test blood draw. Not from the vaccination date. Not from the application date. Travel cannot happen until 180 days after that blood draw, plus all other requirements are complete.
Step-by-step: the correct sequence
ISO 11784/11785 compliant 15-digit microchip. This must happen before any vaccinations. If the microchip is implanted after the first vaccination, the vaccination does not count and must be repeated after chipping.
Given after microchipping. The first vaccination must occur when your cat is at least 3 months old. Japan requires inactive or recombinant vaccines, which is standard in the US.
Wait a minimum of 30 days before administering the second vaccine. Confirm that the validity period of the first vaccine has not expired.
Blood drawn after the second vaccination. Sent to a MAFF-approved laboratory. Japan requires a result of 0.5 IU/ml or above. The 180-day wait begins from the date of this blood draw.
Your cat must stay in the US during this period. Keep all vaccinations current. If a rabies vaccination expires during the wait, get a booster. A new titer test is not required as long as the previous passing result is still within two years.
File the Advanced Notification Form through Japan's NACCS online system at least 40 days before import. AQS sends an Approval of Inspection notification which must accompany your cat.
The US health certificate for Japan. Covers both the owner declaration and health certificate requirements. Must be endorsed by USDA APHIS before travel. Send a draft to the AQS office before getting USDA endorsement to catch errors early. See the USDA APHIS Japan page.
Your USDA-accredited vet completes Form AC. Then it goes to USDA APHIS for endorsement. Allow time for this process. APHIS endorsement is not instant and some offices are busier than others.
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Which airlines fly cats from the US to Japan
Book your flight to arrive before 5PM. Pets arriving after 5PM cannot be released from their crates until customs reopens the following day.
What it will cost
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Frequently asked questions
The process resets for the titer test. Give a booster vaccination and repeat the blood draw after sufficient time. A new 180-day wait is not required if the previous passing test is still within two years, but the new passing test must be at least 180 days before your travel date.
You can depart from any US city, but your cat must arrive at one of Japan's four approved entry airports: Narita, Haneda, Kansai, or Centrair. Confirm your route with your airline and AQS.
Pets arriving after 5PM cannot be released from their crates until customs reopens the following day. Book an earlier flight if at all possible.
For dogs, yes. Japan's Rabies Prevention Law requires annual rabies vaccination and municipal registration within 30 days of import. For cats, this law does not apply, but keeping vaccinations current is advisable.
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