Taking Your Pet from Thailand to Japan: 2026 Guide — Start at Least 7 Months Ahead

When your assignment ends or you decide to move back to Japan, one of the first worries is often whether your dog or cat can come with you. Bringing a pet from Thailand into Japan means meeting Japan's quarantine conditions in the right order. This article walks you through the steps and explains why it pays to start early.

Thailand Is a "Non-Designated Region": Check Japan's Rules First

Japan's Animal Quarantine Service treats a small number of rabies-free countries and regions as "designated regions." Thailand is not one of them, so the procedure for non-designated regions applies. If the conditions are not met or the certificate has errors, your pet will be held at the arrival airport's quarantine facility for up to 180 days (detention for observation), and the owner pays the costs during that period.

Source: Animal Quarantine Service, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (importing dogs and cats from non-designated regions)

Five Steps Before Your Pet Can Enter Japan

• Microchip: Implant a chip that complies with ISO 11784/11785 before (or on the same day as) the first rabies vaccination. Chips whose number begins with "900202" are not accepted for the time being.
• At least two rabies vaccinations: Give the first at 91 days of age or older, and the second at least 30 days after the first and within the first shot's validity period. Inactivated or recombinant vaccines are accepted; live and RNA vaccines are not.
• Rabies antibody test: Draw blood after the second vaccination (the same day is fine) and have it tested at a laboratory designated by Japan's Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. The result must be 0.5 IU/ml or higher, and it is valid for 2 years from the blood draw.
• 180-day waiting period: Counting the blood draw date as day 0, your pet should arrive in Japan only after 180 days or more.
• Advance notice 40 days before arrival: Notify the Animal Quarantine Service office at your arrival airport at least 40 days before the arrival date. Using NACCS, Japan's online import/export system, is recommended.

Source: Animal Quarantine Service, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (conditions for microchip, vaccination, antibody test, waiting period and advance notice)

Plan for "At Least About 7 Months"

You need at least 30 days between the first and second vaccinations, then at least 180 days of waiting after the blood draw. Starting from scratch, that adds up to at least about 7 months. If you wait until your transfer is announced, you may not make it in time.

Even if your pet already has a microchip and yearly rabies shots in Thailand, don't assume you are covered. Ask your vet to go through the records with you: Was the chip implanted before the vaccination? Does the vaccine type meet the conditions? Will the vaccination and antibody test still be valid on your arrival date?

Pre-Departure Checks and the Thai Export Procedure

Japan also requires a clinical examination by a veterinarian within 10 days before departure (rabies and leptospirosis for dogs, rabies only for cats). You will also need a certificate issued by the exporting country's government authority. The recommended format is "Form AC," and certificates filled in with pencil, erasable pens or correction fluid are not accepted.

Source: Animal Quarantine Service, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (pre-export examination and government certificate)

On the Thai side, you submit an application (Form ร.1/1) to the Department of Livestock Development (กรมปศุสัตว์), have a health check before departure, and then receive an export permit (Form ร.9) and a health certificate from the animal quarantine station (ด่านกักกันสัตว์). According to a DLD regional office, the health check should be done within 2–3 days before travel, and you should prepare a copy of the owner's passport, the ID of the person handling the procedure, and the rabies vaccination certificate.

Source: Department of Livestock Development, Region 9 Office (steps for taking pets out of Thailand)

The DLD's quarantine division also states that applications for moving animals in or out of the country (Form ร.1/1) are submitted through its electronic system at least 7 working days before the planned date. Because timelines and contact points can change, check early with the animal quarantine station at your departure airport.

Source: Department of Livestock Development, Inspection and Quarantine Division (applications to import, export or transit animals)

Summary: Once a Move Is on the Horizon, Talk to Your Vet

To bring your pet from Thailand to Japan, you need to follow this order: microchip, at least two rabies vaccinations, antibody test, 180-day wait, and notice 40 days before arrival. Even if your return date isn't fixed yet, starting early gives you more options. Remember to check each airline's pet transport rules as well.

If you're unsure about the order of steps or your schedule, please contact us on LINE for details.