Asia
Pet relocation from the Philippines to Japan
Japan enforces one of the strictest pet import regimes in the world, with a 180-day waiting period measured from the blood test.
Japan requires an ISO microchip, two rabies vaccinations, a rabies titer test at 0.5 IU/ml or above, and a waiting period of 180 days measured from the date of the blood sample before the pet can be released without quarantine. You must also notify Japan's Animal Quarantine Service at least 40 days before arrival. Start six to seven months ahead: the 180-day clock is the fixed constraint.
Requirements reviewed October 2026. Rules change — we confirm the current position for your route before anything is booked.
Typical lead time
six to seven months
Rabies titer test
Required (≥0.5 IU/ml)
Waiting period
180 days from blood sample
Advance notice
40 days before arrival
Rabies vaccinations
Two doses required
Arrival
Inspection at Animal Quarantine Service
What your pet needs
Requirements for Japan
The steps below are the ones that decide your departure date. Everything else follows from them.
Microchip before vaccination
The ISO 11784/11785 microchip is implanted first. Both rabies vaccinations and the blood test must be linked to that microchip number. If the rabies vaccination was given before the microchip was implanted, this sequence does not apply: tell us the dates and we will confirm the route with you.
Two rabies vaccinations
Japan requires two rabies vaccinations, not one. The second dose is given at least 30 days after the first, and inside the first vaccine's effective period.
Titer test and 180-day clock
The blood sample is drawn after the second vaccination. The 180-day waiting period runs from that sampling date, and arrival before day 180 means quarantine instead of release.
Advance notification
The Animal Quarantine Service needs notification at least 40 days before arrival, with the pet's details and flight information. Missing this step turns a clean arrival into a detention.
Arrival inspection
Pets are inspected at the arrival airport. With a complete document set and a satisfied waiting period, the pet is released to you the same day.
How the work is sequenced
Step by step
- 1
Microchip and first rabies vaccination
The ISO microchip is implanted first, then the first rabies vaccination. The order matters: both vaccinations and the blood sample have to be linked to that microchip number.
- 2
Second rabies vaccination and titer test
The second rabies vaccination is given at least 30 days after the first and inside the first vaccination's effective period, then the blood sample is drawn and tested at a MAFF-designated laboratory.
- 3
180-day waiting period
Japan counts 180 days from the day the sample was drawn, not from the day the result arrived. Nothing shortens it.
- 4
Advanced shipping notice
The Animal Quarantine Service is notified at least 40 days before arrival, with the pet's details and the flight information.
- 5
Health certificate and annexure attestation
The veterinary health certificate and its annexure are prepared, issued and attested within 10 days before the flight.
- 6
Flight and handover
The pet is inspected at the arrival airport, and with a complete document set and the waiting period satisfied it is released the same day.
Answers
Japan questions we get asked
If your question is not here, message us — the answer depends on your pet, not on a template.
How long does pet relocation from the Philippines to Japan take?
Six to seven months. The binding constraint is the 180-day waiting period counted from the blood sample date, so the earliest you can fly is half a year after sampling.
What happens if my pet arrives in Japan before 180 days?
The pet is held in quarantine at the Animal Quarantine Service facility until the waiting period is satisfied. The length of that detention is decided by the quarantine service, and it is expensive and stressful for the animal — which is why we plan the calendar backwards from the sampling date.
Does Japan accept a titer test done in the Philippines?
Yes, provided the sample was drawn and handled according to the Japanese requirements and tested at a designated laboratory. We arrange the sampling and laboratory submission.
Ready to start?
Send us your pet's origin, destination and travel date. A team of specialists reviews it and replies with the documents, a relocation plan and an itemized quote.