Japan
United States
Pet Relocation From Japan to the USA
Japan is not a high-risk dog rabies country for the CDC, so most dogs enter the U.S. on the simplest path: a microchip, six months of age and a CDC Dog Import Form receipt. The step people underestimate is on the Japanese side: every dog and cat needs an export inspection, booked in advance.
At a glance
Rules on this page apply to: dogs and cats.
- CDC status
- Japan is not on the CDC list of high-risk dog rabies countries.
- Dog age
- At least 6 months old when entering the U.S.
- CDC Dog Import Form
- One per dog, free, online; show the receipt to the airline and to CBP.
- Japan export
- NACCS application at least 14 days ahead; mandatory for dogs from January 1, 2027.
- Cats
- No CDC rabies vaccination requirement; states and airlines may ask for documents.
- Hawaii
- Japan is not on Hawaii's exempt list: quarantine rules apply.
Who this guide is for
Families relocating from Japan to the United States with a dog or cat: Americans heading home after an assignment, Japanese families moving for work or study, and service members returning from Yokota, Kadena, Misawa, Yokosuka or Iwakuni.
If your pet has spent time in another Asian country in the last six months, read the CDC section carefully. The rules depend on where the dog has been, not only where it flies from.
What we coordinate on this route
Yunifly plans the move, checks the documents on both sides, and arranges the flight. Physical steps such as transport to the airport and pickup in the U.S. are handled through local partners where available.
- A plan built around your departure date and Japan's export inspection slot
- The NACCS export application and the inspection appointment at your departure airport
- The CDC Dog Import Form for each dog, and a check of your pet's six-month travel history
- Airline, aircraft and mode for your pet's size and breed, with a routing that avoids customs clearance in high-risk countries
- State-level checks for your destination, including Hawaii and Guam
- Crate preparation and arrival coordination (US airport arrival)
Leaving Japan with a pet?
Get My Free Quote (opens the enquiry form in a new tab)Dogs and cats
U.S. entry rules split sharply by species. The CDC's dog import rules apply only to dogs. For cats, the CDC does not require proof of rabies vaccination or a general health certificate; the cat must appear healthy on arrival, and your destination state or your airline may ask for more.
On the Japanese side there is no split: Japan's export inspection applies to every dog and cat that leaves, even for a short trip.
How long it takes
For a healthy adult dog that has only been in Japan (or other low-risk countries) for six months, the paperwork is short:
- Apply for Japan's export inspection through NACCS at least 14 days before departure. AQS warns that inspection slots are very congested, so earlier is better.
- Fill in the CDC Dog Import Form online. The receipt stays valid for six months for entries from the same country.
- Attend the export inspection within 10 days before departure.
- Fly, and show the receipt to the airline at check-in and to CBP on arrival.
The flight booking is usually the long pole. Plan at least four to six weeks for a smooth move, and longer in peak season or for large or snub-nosed breeds.
CDC rules for dogs from Japan
Japan is not on the CDC's list of high-risk countries for dog rabies (list dated April 15, 2026). A dog that has been only in Japan or other low-risk countries in the six months before entry follows the low-risk rules:
- at least 6 months old at entry;
- a microchip that can be read with a universal scanner;
- a CDC Dog Import Form receipt, which the CDC calls the only required document;
- the dog must appear healthy on arrival;
- entry at any U.S. airport, seaport or land border.
The form is free and filed online, one per dog. For low-risk dogs the receipt covers multiple entries from the same country for six months. You need a new form for a different departure country, after six months, or after a visit to a high-risk country.
A layover can change the category. The CDC considers that a dog has entered a country if it clears customs there, which can happen when a dog travels in the cabin or changes airlines. A dog that enters a high-risk country, even during a layover, must meet the high-risk rules on arrival in the U.S.
If your dog has been in a high-risk country in the last six months (many Southeast Asian countries and mainland China are on the list), different requirements apply. See CDC dog import rules.
Microchip
For the U.S., the CDC requires a microchip that a universal scanner can detect; it does not require a specific standard. If your dog came to Japan from the U.S., it already has the ISO chip Japan required. Keep the number consistent across the CDC form, the Japanese export certificate and the airline booking.
Rabies vaccination
A low-risk dog does not need to show a rabies certificate to the CDC. That does not make the vaccine optional in practice: your airline, your destination state or your city may require it, and Japan requires dogs living there to be vaccinated yearly anyway. Bring the current certificate.
Cats: the CDC does not require rabies vaccination for entry, but recommends it.
Rabies titer test
No titer test is required to bring a low-risk dog or a cat from Japan into the U.S. mainland. A titer matters in two other cases: Hawaii (see the state section) and a future return to Japan, where a valid Japan-designated titer saves months. If you may move back, ask us before the current titer expires.
Import permit
The U.S. does not issue an import permit for pet dogs or cats. For dogs, the CDC Dog Import Form receipt is the document that matters. Guam and Hawaii have their own permits and applications (see below).
Health certificate
The CDC does not require a general health certificate for dogs from low-risk countries or for cats. Your airline or destination state may, so we confirm what your carrier asks for before the export inspection, so the Japanese certificate can cover it.
Japan's export inspection and certificate
Japan requires an export inspection by the Animal Quarantine Service for every dog and cat leaving the country. The process:
- Register for NACCS and apply at least 14 days before export. From January 1, 2027, that 14-day application becomes mandatory for dogs.
- The inspection takes place within 10 days before departure, by appointment. It usually takes 30 to 60 minutes.
- Bring the animal, photo ID and all original certificates. A power of attorney lets someone else attend.
- AQS does not charge for the export inspection itself; veterinary costs are yours.
- Service members with SOFA status bring their ID card, PCS orders and DD Forms 2208 and 2209.
At Narita, Haneda and Kansai, AQS offices are open daily from 8:30 to 16:30.
Airline
Carriers on Japan–U.S. routes set their own rules for age, crate size, breed and season, and they change often. As one example, Delta's pet page (read October 29, 2026) requires the CDC Dog Import Form receipt for dogs entering the U.S. and says cats entering from another country must be at least 16 weeks old; international cabin pets cost $200 each way, with no pets in Delta One or Premium cabins.
For other airlines we confirm the carrier, aircraft and mode for your pet before booking.
Cabin, checked baggage or cargo
Small pets may fly in the cabin on some airlines and cabins; it is never guaranteed. Larger pets fly in the hold as checked baggage or as cargo. The mode affects the CDC layover risk: a cabin dog on a connecting itinerary may have to clear customs at the connection. We prefer nonstop flights from Japan for that reason. More in cabin, checked or cargo.
Arrival in the U.S.
At the port of entry, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) checks the dog's CDC receipt and the animal. A low-risk dog can enter at any U.S. airport. Have the receipt (printed or on your phone), the microchip number and the Japanese certificate together.
USDA APHIS also has rules for dogs. Japan is not on APHIS's screwworm list, so no screwworm certificate is needed. APHIS lists Japan as free of foot-and-mouth disease (subject to restrictions that concern animal products), so the bathing rule for dogs from FMD-affected countries does not apply. APHIS asks that dogs used to handle livestock show no evidence of tapeworm.
Quarantine
There is no federal quarantine for a compliant low-risk dog or a healthy cat. A dog that does not meet CDC rules can be refused entry and returned to its last departure country at the owner's cost. Hawaii and Guam run their own quarantine systems.
State and territory rules
Your destination may have rules of its own, such as licensing or local vaccination requirements. We check them for your address.
- Hawaii: only the British Isles, Australia, Guam and New Zealand use Hawaii's exempt checklist. Pets from Japan must qualify for the 5-Day-or-Less or Direct Airport Release program (two rabies vaccinations, a passing OIE-FAVN test from Kansas State, Auburn, the University of Missouri or the DoD lab for DoD beneficiaries, documents received at least 10 days before arrival) or face up to 120 days of quarantine. Direct Airport Release in Honolulu costs $185 per pet.
- Guam: Guam lists Japan among its exempt areas, so the non-exempt 120-day FAVN wait does not apply; we confirm Guam's current exempt-area documents for your dates.
What drives the cost
- The airline charge, which depends on mode, crate size and route
- Veterinary visits and certificates in Japan (the AQS inspection itself is free)
- The crate and ground transport to the airport and from the U.S. airport, through local partners where available
- Hawaii fees and quarantine if you move to Hawaii
We quote each move after we know the pet, the dates and the route. See pet relocation costs.
Mistakes we see on this route
- Leaving the export inspection to the last week. Slots are congested, and from 2027 the 14-day application is mandatory for dogs.
- A connection that clears customs in a high-risk country, which turns a low-risk dog into a high-risk dog.
- A puppy under six months. It cannot enter the U.S. until it is old enough.
- Moving to Hawaii on the mainland plan. Hawaii needs months of preparation.
- Letting the Japan titer lapse when a return to Japan is likely.
Questions about this route
Does my dog need a rabies titer to enter the U.S. from Japan?
Not for the mainland, if the dog has only been in low-risk countries for the last six months. Hawaii is different and requires an OIE-FAVN result.
When should I fill in the CDC Dog Import Form?
The CDC does not set a minimum lead time; the receipt is valid for six months for entries from the same country. We file it once the travel date is known and check it matches the itinerary.
My cat has no rabies certificate. Can it still enter?
The CDC does not require proof of rabies vaccination for cats, but recommends it. Your airline or state may require documents, so we check both before you fly.
Our dog lived in Thailand before Japan. Does that matter?
Only if it was in Thailand (or another high-risk country) within the six months before entering the U.S. If so, the CDC's high-risk rules apply. See CDC dog import rules.
We're military and leaving Japan on PCS orders. What changes?
Japan's export inspection still applies; bring your ID, PCS orders and DD Forms 2208 and 2209. See our military relocation service.
Official sources
The requirements on this page come from these authorities.
- MAFF Animal Quarantine Service — Export of dogs and cats from Japan
- MAFF Animal Quarantine Service — 犬・猫の輸出 よくある質問 (export FAQ: no inspection fee, 14-day application)
- MAFF Animal Quarantine Service — ペットの輸出入 notices (14-day export application mandatory for dogs from January 1, 2027)
- CDC — High-risk countries for dog rabies (updated April 15, 2026)
- CDC — Entry requirements for dogs from dog rabies-free or low-risk countries
- CDC — Dog Import Form instructions (April 28, 2026)
- CDC — Dogs and layovers (April 29, 2026)
- CDC — Bringing a cat into the United States (August 22, 2025)
- USDA APHIS — Bring a pet dog into the United States (modified April 1, 2026)
- USDA APHIS — Animal health status of regions (modified October 27, 2026)
- Hawaii Department of Agriculture — Animal Quarantine
- Guam Department of Agriculture — Animal Health
- Delta Air Lines — Pet travel overview
Requirements last verified against these sources on .
Requirements change. Before anything is booked, we confirm each one again with the authorities, the airline and your veterinarian for your pet and your dates.
Going the other way?
Other destinations
Leaving Japan with a pet?
Tell us your departure date, your destination in the U.S. and your pet's travel history. We'll map the export inspection, the CDC steps and the flight.
Takes a few minutes. No account needed.