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Bringing a Dog from Canada to Japan: Requirements & Timeline

Canada is a non-designated region for Japan, so the full seven-month process applies — the same as from the US or UK.

Rules last verified against official sources: 2026-07-24

Planning for a cat instead? See the cat version of this route →

Pick your travel date to get a dated, backward-planned checklist. (This tool needs JavaScript; the full requirements are listed below either way.)

Canada's rabies-controlled status doesn't earn a shortcut into Japan: for Japan's import rules Canada is a non-designated region, the same category as the US and UK. So the full process applies — microchip before the first rabies vaccination, a second vaccination 30+ days later, a FAVN titer blood draw, then arrival only once 180 days have passed from that draw. Land early and your dog is detained at an Animal Quarantine Station for the shortfall.

Done in order, on-arrival inspection is quick — usually under an hour, 12 hours at most. The Canada-side certificate is endorsed by an official CFIA veterinarian (by appointment) before your pet leaves the country.

Minimum lead time: about 7 months (211 days). Japan's designated-region shortcut is only for Iceland, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Hawaii and Guam — not Canada. A Canadian dog needs two rabies shots, a titer test, and 180 full days of waiting before it may land.
Going on vacation, not moving? The same timeline still applies. Japan makes no exception for tourists or short stays — these rules apply to every dog and cat entering the country, so a two-week holiday needs the same months of preparation as a permanent move. There is no short-stay shortcut.

The requirements, in order

Order matters — several steps are only valid if the earlier ones were done first. This is the same sequence the planner above turns into dated deadlines.

  1. ISO microchip implanted
    ISO 11784/11785-compliant (15-digit) microchip, implanted BEFORE the first rabies vaccination. A rabies shot given before the chip does not count and must be repeated.
    Official source ↗
  2. Rabies vaccination #1
    Inactivated or recombinant vaccine only, given at 91 days of age or older (date of birth counts as day 0), after the microchip.
    Official source ↗
  3. Rabies vaccination #2
    At least 30 days after the first (the first vaccination day counts as day 0) and within the effective period of the first vaccination.
    Official source ↗
  4. Rabies antibody blood draw (FAVN/RFFIT) — starts the 180-day wait
    Blood drawn after the second vaccination (the same visit is allowed) and sent to a MAFF-designated laboratory; the titer must be ≥ 0.5 IU/ml. Your pet may only ARRIVE in Japan after 180 days have passed from the sampling date (sampling day = day 0, so day 181 at the earliest) and within 2 years of sampling.
    Arriving even one day early means detention for the shortfall.
    Official source ↗
  5. Advance notification to Animal Quarantine Service
    Notify the AQS office at your port of entry at least 40 days before arrival. Notification submitted less than 40 days before arrival is not accepted.
    Official source ↗
  6. Pre-export clinical inspection
    Within 10 days before boarding, a veterinarian must confirm your dog is free of clinical signs of rabies and leptospirosis (cats: rabies only).
    Official source ↗
  7. Export certificate endorsed by CFIA
    The Japan export health certificate, issued by a licensed vet and endorsed by an official CFIA veterinarian (by appointment) before your pet leaves Canada — it cannot be done after departure. Covers the microchip, both vaccinations, the titer result and the clinical inspection.
    Official source ↗

Quarantine: fast when compliant, up to 180 days when not

Meet every condition and clearance is a same-day formality. Miss one — a chip that reads wrong, a titer below 0.5 IU/ml, an arrival inside the 180-day window, a certificate not CFIA-endorsed — and detention runs up to 180 days at your expense. The planner sequences it so that doesn't happen.

Getting the CFIA endorsement

Japan's export certificate must be endorsed by an official CFIA veterinarian before your pet leaves Canada — this needs an appointment and cannot be done after departure. Book it into the final 10-day pre-export window alongside the clinical inspection.

Official sources

These are the only authorities on this route. If anything here disagrees with them, they win — and please tell us.

Rather have a professional handle the whole move? Pet relocation companies manage the vet visits, paperwork, and bookings end-to-end. (Referral placement — link to relocation partner here.)
Traveling internationally with a pet? Vet visits abroad are out-of-network by definition. (Pet insurance affiliate placement here.)

FAQ

Is Canada a rabies-free country for Japan?
No — Japan treats Canada as a non-designated region, the same as the US and UK. The full microchip, two-vaccination, titer test and 180-day wait all apply. Only Iceland, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Hawaii and Guam get the short path.
How long does it take to bring a dog from Canada to Japan?
About 7 months from a standing start: microchip and first rabies shot now, second shot 30+ days later, titer draw, then arrival only after 180 days have passed from the draw date. The planner computes your dates.
Who endorses the export paperwork in Canada?
An official CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) veterinarian, by appointment, before your pet leaves Canada — it can't be done afterward.
Is it different for cats?
The timeline is identical. The pre-export certificate for dogs also covers leptospirosis; cats are certified for rabies only, and cats may enter through any port. Use the cat toggle in the planner.

Other dog routes

Disclaimer: Preflight Pet is a planning aid, not legal or veterinary advice. Import rules change; airlines add their own requirements. Always confirm every step with the official government sources linked on this page, and with your airline and accredited veterinarian, before booking travel.