Pet travel route
Taking a dog or cat from Belgium → Japan
What the official rules ask for on this route, for a family pet travelling with its owner. Enter your travel date and your pet’s details to turn it into a dated checklist.
Limited official guidance. The authority for leaving Belgium publishes little for this route. Everything it does say is here, with its wording. AFSCA's page gives no deadline, fee or booking route for the certificate. Ask your local control unit (ULC) early.
How early to start
about 7 months
if your pet has no microchip or rabies vaccination yet (the least time the official waiting periods allow)
about 6 months
if it is already microchipped and vaccinated
Counted only from the officially fixed waiting periods. Vet, lab and paperwork appointment times are on top, so start earlier.
Which rules apply to you
Belgium is in the group “Non-designated region” in Japan’s published list.See every group
Headlines for Japan
- Rabies blood test for some origins
- Advance notice to authority
What your dog needs
Dogs
Identification
ISO microchip
Your pet needs an ISO 11784/11785 microchip (15 digits). From non-designated regions it must be implanted before the first rabies vaccination (same day is fine).
Details and the official words
Microchip numbers starting with "900 202" are currently not accepted.
“Dogs and cats must be identified by a microchip before the first rabies vaccination.”
Notice
Advance notification to Animal Quarantine Service
Notify the Animal Quarantine Service at your port of arrival at least 40 days before you arrive (online via NACCS or by email). They issue an 'Approval of Import Inspection'.
Details and the official words
If this is missed: In principle, a notification submitted less than 40 days before arrival is not accepted.
“Applicants must notify Animal Quarantine Service at the expected port of entry not less than 40 days before arrival in Japan.”
Vet exam
Pre-export clinical inspection
A vet examines your pet within 10 days before boarding (no signs of rabies; for dogs also leptospirosis) and checks the microchip.
Details and the official words
“Before leaving the exporting country (within 10 days before boarding), dogs and cats must undergo a clinical inspection by a veterinarian.”
Paperwork
Government certificate from the exporting country
Get the certificate (Japan's recommended Form AC, or Form AB from designated regions) completed and endorsed by your country's government veterinary authority, after the clinical inspection.
Details and the official words
Health certificate checked and certified by AFSCA (local control unit): In most cases the destination requires a health certificate for your pet. AFSCA's website lists the procedure and the types of certificate. Your local control unit (ULC) has to be able to check that the certification is possible.
AFSCA's page gives no deadline for how recent the certificate must be: the destination's rules decide.
If this is missed: Deficient certificates mean detention quarantine for up to 180 days or being shipped back.
“Applicants must obtain certificates issued by the government agency (corresponding to Animal Quarantine service in Japan) of the exporting country.”
“Dans la majorité des cas, un certificat sanitaire est exigé par le pays de destination pour que votre animal puisse vous accompagner dans ce pays.”
“L’Unité locale de Contrôle (ULC) doit pouvoir contrôler que la certification sera possible.”
Vaccination
Rabies vaccination #1
First rabies vaccination (inactivated or recombinant) after microchipping, when your pet is at least 91 days old — Japan does not accept vaccinations given before 91 days.
Details and the official words
“At least 91days old at the time of vaccination”
Vaccination
Rabies vaccination #2
Second rabies vaccination at least 30 days after the first, and before the first one's immunity runs out.
Details and the official words
“30 days or more apart from the first vaccination (the date of the first one is counted as day 0)”
Blood test
Rabies antibody test at a designated lab
Blood sample after the second vaccination (same day allowed), tested at a Japan-designated laboratory: at least 0.5 IU/ml. The result is valid for 2 years.
Details and the official words
“A blood sample for the test must be drawn after the second rabies vaccination.”
Waiting period
180-day waiting period
Your pet must arrive at least 180 days after the blood sample date, and while both the rabies vaccination and the antibody test (2 years) are still valid.
Details and the official words
If this is missed: Pets arriving before 180 days are held in detention quarantine for the days still missing.
“Dogs and cats are required to arrive in Japan after 180 days have passed from the date of blood sampling for the rabies antibody test.”
Paperwork
Bring proof of the destination's conditions to your local control unit
If the destination has its own conditions, or conditions AFSCA hasn't published, bring official proof that the destination's authority asked for them (with a sworn translation if needed) to your local AFSCA control unit (ULC) beforehand, not on the day of certification, so it can check that certification will be possible. Start preparing early.
Details and the official words
“vous devez présenter une preuve officielle attestant que ces conditions ont bien été exigées par l’autorité du pays de destination”
“Les conditions imposées par le pays de destination doivent être présentées au préalable”
Good to know
- Dogs can only enter Japan through designated airports and seaports (e.g. Narita, Haneda, Kansai, Chubu, New Chitose, Fukuoka, Naha).
- Japan does not accept live-virus or RNA rabies vaccines — check the vaccine type with your vet.
- To travel outside the EU, the destination country's conditions apply. For some countries AFSCA publishes them; for others you must ask the embassy or the regional export-promotion organisations. It is your responsibility that the destination accepts your pet.
- AFSCA recommends a European passport, a microchip and a valid rabies vaccination. For a limited number of countries the rabies vaccination is not required, but AFSCA still advises it because it is needed to come back to the EU. Many non-EU countries count a vaccine as valid for one year, so check its date before you leave.
- Even after a short stay in a non-EU country, your pet has to meet the rules for entering Belgium from outside the EU when it comes back. Where a blood test is needed, the conditions are relaxed if you do it before you leave.
- Planning to bring your pet back to the EU? After a short stay in a non-EU country you can skip the 3-month wait after the rabies blood test, but only if, before you leave the EU, your pet was vaccinated against rabies, passed a successful titer test, and your vet recorded both in its EU pet passport. So do the blood test before you go.
What your cat needs
Cats
Identification
ISO microchip
Your pet needs an ISO 11784/11785 microchip (15 digits). From non-designated regions it must be implanted before the first rabies vaccination (same day is fine).
Details and the official words
Microchip numbers starting with "900 202" are currently not accepted.
“Dogs and cats must be identified by a microchip before the first rabies vaccination.”
Notice
Advance notification to Animal Quarantine Service
Notify the Animal Quarantine Service at your port of arrival at least 40 days before you arrive (online via NACCS or by email). They issue an 'Approval of Import Inspection'.
Details and the official words
If this is missed: In principle, a notification submitted less than 40 days before arrival is not accepted.
“Applicants must notify Animal Quarantine Service at the expected port of entry not less than 40 days before arrival in Japan.”
Vet exam
Pre-export clinical inspection
A vet examines your pet within 10 days before boarding (no signs of rabies; for dogs also leptospirosis) and checks the microchip.
Details and the official words
“Before leaving the exporting country (within 10 days before boarding), dogs and cats must undergo a clinical inspection by a veterinarian.”
Paperwork
Government certificate from the exporting country
Get the certificate (Japan's recommended Form AC, or Form AB from designated regions) completed and endorsed by your country's government veterinary authority, after the clinical inspection.
Details and the official words
Health certificate checked and certified by AFSCA (local control unit): In most cases the destination requires a health certificate for your pet. AFSCA's website lists the procedure and the types of certificate. Your local control unit (ULC) has to be able to check that the certification is possible.
AFSCA's page gives no deadline for how recent the certificate must be: the destination's rules decide.
If this is missed: Deficient certificates mean detention quarantine for up to 180 days or being shipped back.
“Applicants must obtain certificates issued by the government agency (corresponding to Animal Quarantine service in Japan) of the exporting country.”
“Dans la majorité des cas, un certificat sanitaire est exigé par le pays de destination pour que votre animal puisse vous accompagner dans ce pays.”
“L’Unité locale de Contrôle (ULC) doit pouvoir contrôler que la certification sera possible.”
Vaccination
Rabies vaccination #1
First rabies vaccination (inactivated or recombinant) after microchipping, when your pet is at least 91 days old — Japan does not accept vaccinations given before 91 days.
Details and the official words
“At least 91days old at the time of vaccination”
Vaccination
Rabies vaccination #2
Second rabies vaccination at least 30 days after the first, and before the first one's immunity runs out.
Details and the official words
“30 days or more apart from the first vaccination (the date of the first one is counted as day 0)”
Blood test
Rabies antibody test at a designated lab
Blood sample after the second vaccination (same day allowed), tested at a Japan-designated laboratory: at least 0.5 IU/ml. The result is valid for 2 years.
Details and the official words
“A blood sample for the test must be drawn after the second rabies vaccination.”
Waiting period
180-day waiting period
Your pet must arrive at least 180 days after the blood sample date, and while both the rabies vaccination and the antibody test (2 years) are still valid.
Details and the official words
If this is missed: Pets arriving before 180 days are held in detention quarantine for the days still missing.
“Dogs and cats are required to arrive in Japan after 180 days have passed from the date of blood sampling for the rabies antibody test.”
Paperwork
Bring proof of the destination's conditions to your local control unit
If the destination has its own conditions, or conditions AFSCA hasn't published, bring official proof that the destination's authority asked for them (with a sworn translation if needed) to your local AFSCA control unit (ULC) beforehand, not on the day of certification, so it can check that certification will be possible. Start preparing early.
Details and the official words
“vous devez présenter une preuve officielle attestant que ces conditions ont bien été exigées par l’autorité du pays de destination”
“Les conditions imposées par le pays de destination doivent être présentées au préalable”
Good to know
- Japan does not accept live-virus or RNA rabies vaccines — check the vaccine type with your vet.
- To travel outside the EU, the destination country's conditions apply. For some countries AFSCA publishes them; for others you must ask the embassy or the regional export-promotion organisations. It is your responsibility that the destination accepts your pet.
- AFSCA recommends a European passport, a microchip and a valid rabies vaccination. For a limited number of countries the rabies vaccination is not required, but AFSCA still advises it because it is needed to come back to the EU. Many non-EU countries count a vaccine as valid for one year, so check its date before you leave.
- Even after a short stay in a non-EU country, your pet has to meet the rules for entering Belgium from outside the EU when it comes back. Where a blood test is needed, the conditions are relaxed if you do it before you leave.
- Planning to bring your pet back to the EU? After a short stay in a non-EU country you can skip the 3-month wait after the rabies blood test, but only if, before you leave the EU, your pet was vaccinated against rabies, passed a successful titer test, and your vet recorded both in its EU pet passport. So do the blood test before you go.
Common questions
Does my dog need a rabies blood test to go from Belgium to Japan?
Yes: Blood sample after the second vaccination (same day allowed), tested at a Japan-designated laboratory: at least 0.5 IU/ml.
Do I need an import permit to bring my dog into Japan?
No. The official rules we have verified for this route don't ask for an import permit.
Will my dog be quarantined in Japan?
Not on the routes we have verified: the official rules list no quarantine for a pet that meets the requirements.
Does my dog need a microchip?
Yes: Your pet needs an ISO 11784/11785 microchip (15 digits).