Taking your Cats or Dogs to Japan from the UK
Everything you need to know in 2026
Are you thinking about taking your dog or cat to Japan?
We are here to help you.
Our vets are very familiar with the official requirements necessary to have a smooth travel and are happy to help if needed.
Requirements
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Official Veterinarians (OVs) are the only vets authorised by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to sign the document required to travel with your dog or cat to Japan.
All of our vets have gone through the rigorous training to become OVs and are authorised from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to perform different tasks on behalf of the UK Government. Completing this Health Certificate is one of them.
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All imports of pets into Japan must be notified to the Japanese Animal Quarantine Service (AQS) no later than 40 days before the scheduled date of export.
After notifying the Japanese authorities, you will receive a document called “Approval of import inspection of animals” and an Approval Number.
You can find further information here: http://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/english/animal/dog/index.html
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Each pet must be identified with a microchip transponder, in order to identify univocally the pet.
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In order to export your pet to Japan, you need to state the purpose for the animal to be exported (i.e.: pet, commercial, etc).
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Your pet must be examined by a vet immediately before embarkation (preferably within 48 hours).
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Dogs and cats must be vaccinated against rabies twice or more after microchip implanting and must be at least 91 days old at the time of first vaccination.
The second rabies vaccination must be more than 30 days after the first vaccination (the date of the first vaccination is counted as day 0) AND within the immunity period of the first vaccination.
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A blood test to confirm the efficacy of the vaccination against rabies must be taken before travelling to Japan.
The test can be done from the day of the SECOND rabies vaccination and at least 180 days before travelling to Japan.
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Dogs and cats should be vaccinated with the core vaccines and treated for external (fleas, ticks) and internal (nematodes, cestodes) parasites.
Why choose us 🐾
Taking your pet to Japan from the UK requires careful planning due to the strict rules, the tight timelines, and the fact that the necessary travel documentation must be signed by vets with special qualifications. This can make the process very challenging for your regular vet.
We specialise in pet travel documentation and happy to help ensuring a safe, smooth, and stress-free journey for your furry friend.
✅ Experienced & Trusted – We’ve helped countless pet owners with their travel preparations, ensuring all documents are in order.
💷 Affordable Pricing – We proudly offer cost-effective Export Health Certificates, offering some of the cheapest rates available in London.
🚪 Convenience at Your Doorstep – We can even perform all the necessary checks at your home, reducing the risk of your pet getting sick by avoiding exposure to unwell animals at the vet.
📄 Expert Handling of Documents – We prepare these documents daily, so you can be confident everything is completed correctly.
Let us take the stress out of pet travel—so you can focus on the excitement of your journey! 🇯🇵🐾