GR Greece JP Japan

Pet Transport from Greece to Japan

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At a glance

  • Typical timeline: 36-42 weeks from start to arrival
  • Complexity: Very_high — plan well ahead
  • Quarantine: Mandatory quarantine on arrival in Japan. For non-designated countries (including Greece), quarantine is a minimum of 12 hours. In practice, expect 2-7 days depending on documentation completeness and AQS officer assessment.

Japan has some of the most demanding pet import rules in the world, and Greece is classified as a non-designated country for the Animal Quarantine Service (AQS). That means the full protocol applies: two rabies vaccinations, a titre test at an AQS-approved laboratory, a 180-day waiting period, 40-day advance notification, and quarantine on arrival.

This is not a route you plan in a few weeks. The minimum preparation time is around 36 to 42 weeks, and missing any step in the sequence – or getting the order wrong – means starting over. The microchip must be implanted before the first vaccination. No exceptions.

Most pet owners taking their dog or cat from Athens to Tokyo or Osaka engage a specialist pet transport agent for this route. The regulatory detail is considerable, and the consequences of a mistake are severe.

The Journey, Step by Step

1
Implant ISO microchip
This must happen FIRST. Before any vaccination. Document the microchip number carefully.
Your veterinarian
2
Primary rabies vaccination (after microchip)
After microchip implantation. The start of the clock.
Your veterinarian
3
Wait 30 days
Mandatory waiting period before the booster.
Waiting period
4
Second rabies vaccination (booster)
At day 30 or later after the primary vaccination.
Your veterinarian
5
Wait 30 days
Mandatory waiting period before titre test blood draw.
Waiting period
6
Titre test blood draw at AQS-approved laboratory
At day 30 or later after the booster. The 180-day countdown begins from this date.
Your veterinarian + AQS-approved laboratory (SCELAB France, Sciensano Belgium, or other approved EU lab)
7
Await titre test result (minimum 0.5 IU/ml) and 180-day period
The full 180 days must pass from the blood draw date. This is the long wait.
Waiting period
8
Submit AQS advance notification to arrival airport quarantine station
At least 40 days before planned arrival in Japan.
You or your pet transport agent via AQS portal
9
Obtain MINAGRIC-endorsed health certificate
Within 10 days of travel. Book official vet at least 2 weeks before departure.
Official veterinarian + MINAGRIC
10
Travel and present at AQS quarantine station on arrival
Have all original documents. AQS inspection and quarantine period (minimum 12 hours, typically 2-7 days).
AQS quarantine officers

What Japan Requires

Microchip

Required (ISO 11784/11785). Must be implanted and verified BEFORE any vaccinations are administered. This sequencing is mandatory. A microchip implanted after vaccination voids the protocol.

Rabies Vaccination

Two vaccinations required. Primary vaccination after microchip. Wait a minimum of 30 days. Second (booster) vaccination. Wait a minimum of 30 days. Then titre test blood draw. This sequencing is strictly mandatory.

Titre Test

Required. Blood draw at an AQS-approved laboratory only. Minimum result: 0.5 IU/ml. The 180-day quarantine waiting period begins from the date of the blood draw, not the date of the result. Approved labs in Europe include SCELAB (France), Sciensano (Belgium).

Quarantine

Mandatory quarantine on arrival in Japan. For non-designated countries (including Greece), quarantine is a minimum of 12 hours. In practice, expect 2-7 days depending on documentation completeness and AQS officer assessment.

Import Permit

No separate import permit. AQS advance notification is required: submit to the AQS quarantine station at the arrival airport (NRT, HND, or KIX) at least 40 days before arrival.

Health Certificate

MINAGRIC-endorsed official health certificate issued within 10 days of travel. Must include microchip number, full vaccination history, titre test result, flight details, and arrival airport AQS station.

What to Budget For

  • Titre test fees (AQS-approved laboratory: SCELAB France, Sciensano Belgium, or other approved EU lab)
  • Airline cargo fees (Athens to Japan via European or Gulf hub)
  • IATA-compliant hard-sided crate (required for cargo)
  • Official veterinarian fees for health certificate and MINAGRIC endorsement
  • AQS quarantine fees in Japan (per day of quarantine)
  • Pet transport agent fee (strongly recommended for this complex route)

Before You Leave Greece

Show export requirements from Greece

Export permit: No general export permit required for personal pets. Official health certificate required.

Health certificate: Official veterinary health certificate issued by an authorised vet and endorsed by Greece's Ministry of Rural Development and Food (MINAGRIC). Must be in English. Issued within 10 days of travel.

Things to Know Before You Book

SEQUENCE IS CRITICAL. Microchip must precede all vaccinations. Any vaccination given before microchip implantation voids the protocol and you must start again.
The 180-day wait begins from the date of the blood draw for the titre test, not from when you receive the result.
AQS advance notification must be submitted at least 40 days before arrival. Missing this deadline means your pet cannot enter Japan.
The titre test must be performed at an AQS-approved laboratory. Results from non-approved labs are not accepted.
Health certificate must be issued within 10 days of travel and endorsed by MINAGRIC. Allow time for endorsement.
Quarantine is mandatory, even for compliant pets. Budget for quarantine station fees.

Understanding Japan's AQS protocol for non-designated countries

Japan divides the world into designated and non-designated countries for the purposes of pet import. Designated countries are those with rabies-free or highly controlled status: the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Iceland, and a few others. For pets from those countries, the protocol is simpler.

Greece is not on the designated list. That means your dog or cat must go through the full AQS protocol, which starts from scratch and cannot be rushed.

The sequence is fixed and every step depends on the one before it. It begins with the microchip – implanted first, before any vaccination, with the number documented carefully. Then the first rabies vaccination. Then a mandatory wait of at least 30 days. Then the booster vaccination. Then another wait of at least 30 days. Then the blood draw for the titre test at an AQS-approved laboratory.

That blood draw date is the one that starts the 180-day clock. Not when you get the result. Not when you decide to start planning. The date of the blood draw. Your earliest possible arrival in Japan is 180 days after that date.

If the titre test result comes back below 0.5 IU/ml, you revaccinate and restart the titre test – which restarts the 180-day clock.

The AQS website (aqs.maff.go.jp) is the definitive source. Treat it as your bible for this move.

Working through the paperwork and the journey

For the titre test, you need an AQS-approved laboratory. In Europe, SCELAB in France and Sciensano in Belgium are both on the approved list. Speak to your Greek veterinarian about the process: the blood draw happens in Greece, the sample is sent to the approved lab, and the result comes back with the laboratory report.

Keep every original document. AQS requires originals or certified copies of all vaccination records and the titre test laboratory report. Lose the originals and you may face delays at the quarantine station.

The advance notification to AQS must be submitted at least 40 days before your arrival date. This goes to the AQS quarantine station at your arrival airport – Narita (NRT), Haneda (HND), or Kansai (KIX). You include your pet’s microchip number, full vaccination history, titre test result, flight details, and arrival information. AQS reviews the documents and may come back with questions.

For the flight itself, no airline operates direct Athens to Japan. You will be routing through Frankfurt (Lufthansa), Dubai (Emirates), Doha (Qatar), or Singapore (Singapore Airlines). All are established live animal cargo routes. Lufthansa via Frankfurt is commonly used for European pets heading to Japan.

On arrival, you and your documents go to the AQS quarantine station at the airport. Your pet is inspected, documents are checked, and quarantine begins. For a fully compliant non-designated country arrival, expect a minimum of 12 hours. In practice it is often 2-7 days.

This is a hard route. Plan carefully, work with a specialist agent if at all possible, and start at least 9 months before your intended arrival date.

Frequently Asked Questions

Japan is considered rabies-free and maintains this status through strict import controls. Any compromise on the protocol could reintroduce rabies, which would be catastrophic for both animal and human populations. The AQS protocol exists to guarantee that any animal entering Japan has documented, laboratory-proven rabies immunity.

You will need to revaccinate your pet and submit another blood sample for a new titre test. The 180-day waiting period restarts from the date of the new blood draw. This is why getting a strong rabies vaccination programme right the first time matters.

Only if that laboratory is on Japan’s AQS-approved list. Most European pet owners use SCELAB in France or Sciensano in Belgium. Check the current approved laboratory list at aqs.maff.go.jp before booking any test.

The advance notification is a formal submission to the AQS quarantine station at your arrival airport (NRT, HND, or KIX), submitted at least 40 days before your pet arrives. It includes microchip number, vaccination history, titre test results, and travel details. It can be submitted online via the AQS portal. Missing this deadline means your pet cannot land.

For non-designated countries like Greece, the minimum quarantine is 12 hours if all documents are in perfect order. In practice, expect 2-7 days. Longer quarantine can result from missing documents, data discrepancies, or AQS officer assessment. Quarantine station fees apply per day.

Not legally required, but strongly recommended. The AQS protocol has zero tolerance for sequencing errors, and the consequences of mistakes are severe. A specialist agent familiar with Japan’s requirements will manage the advance notification, laboratory referrals, document coordination, and cargo booking.

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Route summary
  • From: Greece
  • To: Japan
  • Complexity: Very_high
  • Timeline: 36-42 weeks
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