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 Italy), minimum quarantine is 12 hours. In practice, expect 2-7 days depending on documentation completeness and AQS assessment.
Italy to Japan is one of the most demanding pet relocations you can attempt. Japan’s Animal Quarantine Service (AQS) classifies Italy as a non-designated country – meaning the full 180-day protocol applies. Two rabies vaccinations, a titre test at an AQS-approved laboratory, a 180-day wait, 40 days advance notification, and quarantine on arrival.
The preparation takes a minimum of 36-42 weeks. The steps must be followed in the correct sequence. The microchip must come before the first vaccination, without exception. Getting this wrong means starting over.
Most owners moving pets from Italy to Japan work with a specialist pet transport agent. The regulatory complexity is real, and the consequences of an error – having your pet quarantined longer or denied entry – are severe.
The Journey, Step by Step
What Japan Requires
Microchip
Required (ISO 11784/11785). Must be implanted and verified BEFORE any vaccinations are administered. This sequencing is mandatory and cannot be corrected after the fact.
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. The sequence is fixed and strictly enforced.
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. EU-approved AQS labs include SCELAB (France) and Sciensano (Belgium). Check the current AQS approved laboratory list at aqs.maff.go.jp.
Quarantine
Mandatory quarantine on arrival in Japan. For non-designated countries (including Italy), minimum quarantine is 12 hours. In practice, expect 2-7 days depending on documentation completeness and AQS 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
UVAC-endorsed official health certificate issued within 10 days of travel. Must include microchip number, full vaccination history, titre test result (laboratory report), flight details, and arrival airport AQS station.
What to Budget For
- Titre test fees (AQS-approved laboratory: SCELAB France, Sciensano Belgium, or another approved EU lab)
- Airline cargo fees (Italy to Japan via European hub, varies by carrier and crate size)
- IATA-compliant hard-sided travel crate
- Official veterinarian fees for health certificate and UVAC endorsement
- UVAC regional office endorsement fee
- AQS quarantine station fees in Japan (charged per day)
- Pet transport agent fee (strongly recommended for this route)
Before You Leave Italy
Show export requirements from Italy
Export permit: No general export permit required for personal pets.
Health certificate: Official veterinary health certificate issued by an authorised vet and endorsed by UVAC (Uffici Veterinari per gli Adempimenti degli obblighi Comunitari), Italy. Must be in English. Issued within 10 days of travel. UVAC is the Italian competent authority for international veterinary certifications.
Things to Know Before You Book
Why Italy is classified as non-designated
Japan’s AQS maintains a list of designated countries: territories considered rabies-free or equivalent. The list includes the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Iceland, and a handful of others. The EU is not on this list, which means Italy – despite being a highly developed country with a functioning veterinary system – is treated as a non-designated country.
The consequences are significant. For a non-designated country, there is no shortcut. You need two separated rabies vaccinations, a titre test at an AQS-approved laboratory showing a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml, and a full 180-day wait from the blood draw. This is not the kind of move you can plan in three months.
The AQS website (aqs.maff.go.jp) is the authoritative source for all protocol details and the current list of approved laboratories. Verify everything there, and not just from this page.
Walking through the Italy-to-Japan timeline
Everything starts with the microchip. It must be ISO 11784/11785 compliant and it must go in before the first vaccination. There is no exception to this. If a vet vaccinated your pet before implanting the chip, the sequence is broken and you begin again.
After the microchip, the first rabies vaccination. Then a minimum 30-day wait. Then the booster. Then another minimum 30-day wait. Then the blood draw for the titre test.
The laboratory for the titre test must be on Japan’s AQS approved list. In Europe, SCELAB in France and Sciensano in Belgium are both approved. The blood draw happens in Italy; the sample is shipped to the approved laboratory. The result must be 0.5 IU/ml or above. If it falls short, you revaccinate and restart the titre test process – which resets the 180-day clock.
The 180 days count from the blood draw date. Not from the result date. Not from the vaccination. The blood draw.
During that 180-day wait, book your flight and start the AQS advance notification process. The notification goes to the AQS quarantine station at your arrival airport – Narita, Haneda, or Kansai. It must be submitted at least 40 days before your pet arrives. Include microchip number, full vaccination records, titre test laboratory report, and flight details.
The health certificate is issued within 10 days of travel by an official vet and endorsed by UVAC – Italy’s regional competent authority for international veterinary certifications. UVAC endorsement takes additional time. Plan the timing of your vet appointment accordingly.
For the flight, no carrier operates direct Italy to Japan. Lufthansa via Frankfurt is the most used option for Italian pets heading to Japan. Frankfurt has a strong live animal cargo operation and the Frankfurt-to-Narita route is well-established. ANA and JAL cargo connections are also used.
On arrival at Narita, Haneda, or Kansai, AQS officers inspect your documents and your pet. Quarantine begins. For a fully compliant non-designated country arrival, the minimum quarantine is 12 hours, but expect 2-7 days. Quarantine fees are charged per day at the AQS station.
This is a demanding move that rewards meticulous planning. Start at least nine months before your intended Japan arrival date.
Frequently Asked Questions
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