Relocating a pet from Macau to Japan follows a clear path once you understand what Japan asks for. Plan for approximately 30-36 weeks. This is a rigorous route with little room to compress the schedule. A 180 day quarantine stay applies …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from Macau to Japan
typically takes around 30-36 weeks.
Expect 180 days of quarantine on arrival.
A rabies titre test is required, which adds a fixed waiting period, so start early.
Regulations checked
Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team
Step by step
The Macau to Japan pet import process
Each step must be completed in a precise sequence. Start early. We manage every stage and deadline.
1
Implant the ISO microchip.
Responsible: Vet in Macau
Before the first rabies vaccination.
2
First rabies vaccination.
Responsible: IAM-recognised veterinarian
After the microchip.
3
Second rabies vaccination, at least 30 days after the first.
Responsible: IAM-recognised veterinarian
Required since Macau is not a MAFF-designated region.
4
Draw blood for the rabies titre test at a MAFF-approved laboratory.
Responsible: Vet plus MAFF-approved laboratory
At least 30 days after the second vaccination.
5
Submit advance notification to the intended arrival port's Animal Quarantine Service office.
Responsible: Owner or agent
At least 40 days before the planned arrival date.
6
Wait out the 180-day period from the blood draw date.
Responsible: Owner
Fixed. Runs alongside the advance notification and flight planning.
7
Arrange the Macau-to-Hong Kong transfer and book cargo with Cathay Pacific Cargo or JAL Cargo.
Responsible: Owner or agent
4-6 weeks before travel.
8
Obtain the final Macau export health certificate, travel, and clear the arrival quarantine inspection.
Responsible: Vet in Macau; MAFF Animal Quarantine Service on arrival
Certificate close to departure; inspection on arrival, as short as half a day if every prior step was done correctly.
Requirements
What your pet needs to enter Japan
Every item below must be in place before your pet can travel. We manage and verify each one.
Microchip
ISO 11784/11785 compliant, implanted before the first rabies vaccination.
Rabies vaccination
Two vaccinations required, at least 30 days apart, since Macau is not one of MAFF's six designated regions and therefore does not qualify for any shortened pathway.
Rabies titre test
Required. Blood drawn at least 30 days after the second vaccination, at a MAFF-approved laboratory, with a result of 0.5 IU/mL or above. MAFF's designated regions, currently only Iceland, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Hawaii and Guam, skip this step; Macau does not appear on that list in any source checked for this guide, so the full non-designated-region pathway applies. Source: MAFF Animal Quarantine Service, maff.go.jp/aqs, guide to importing dogs and cats from non-designated regions.
Quarantine
A minimum 180-day wait from the date the blood was drawn is required before entry, run in parallel with MAFF's advance notification process. Provided every step, microchip order, vaccination timing, titre result and advance notification, is completed correctly, the physical quarantine hold on arrival can be as short as half a day for inspection. Any error or missing step extends the on-arrival hold, in the most serious cases up to 180 days at a MAFF quarantine facility, at the owner's expense.
Import permit
Advance notification to the relevant Animal Quarantine Service office is required, generally submitted at least 40 days before the planned arrival date, confirming the arrival port has quarantine facilities available.
Health certificate
Government-endorsed export health certificate from Macau, following MAFF's own non-designated-region format, confirming microchip, both vaccination dates and the titre result.
Export permit (Macau)
No separate export permit for a personal pet dog or cat leaving Macau, beyond the standard health certificate process handled by IAM.
Costs
What this route typically costs
Health certificate and IAM paperwork in Macau: MOP 400-900
Rabies titre test and laboratory fee at a MAFF-approved laboratory: MOP 1,500-2,500
Cross-border transfer, Macau to Hong Kong (ferry or bridge coach, including crate handling): JPY equivalent of HKD 300-1,000
Cargo fee, Hong Kong to Japan: JPY 150,000-280,000 depending on crate size, arrival port and season
Advance notification and AQS administrative costs: minimal published fee
Total typical range: JPY 250,000-400,000 over 7-9 months, dominated by the fixed 180-day wait
Critical points to read before you book
Macau is not one of MAFF's six designated regions, currently Iceland, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Hawaii and Guam. There is no shortcut here: two vaccinations, a titre test and a 180-day wait all apply in full.
A common misconception is that Japan means a lengthy physical quarantine stay for every arriving pet. In practice, a pet with every step completed correctly and advance notification submitted on time can clear arrival inspection in as little as half a day. The 180 days is a pre-arrival waiting period, not time spent inside a Japanese facility, unless something in the sequence goes wrong.
There is no direct cargo route from Macau to Japan despite Air Macau's own direct Osaka passenger service; that carrier does not transport animals at all. Every pet transfers through Hong Kong.
Advance notification to the Animal Quarantine Service must reach the intended arrival port at least 40 days before arrival. Missing this window can mean the pet is turned back or held for an extended facility stay on landing.
Airlines
Carriers approved for this route
Not all airlines accept live animals on this route. We know which carriers to use and how to book.
CATHAY PACIFIC
Cathay Pacific Cargo
No direct cargo service from Macau. Pets transfer overland to Hong Kong International Airport, then fly Cathay Pacific Cargo on to Japan, most commonly Narita or Kansai.
Cargo Only
JAPAN AIRLINES
Japan Airlines (JAL) Cargo
An alternative for the Hong Kong-to-Japan leg, once the Macau-to-Hong Kong transfer is complete, and worth comparing if your intended arrival port isn't well served by Cathay Pacific's own schedule.
Cargo Only
AIR MACAU
Air Macau
Flies direct to Osaka Kansai as NX856, but does not carry pets at all, cabin or cargo. Useful for the owner's own travel; not usable for the animal.
Cabin Only
Japan import rules, explained
Japan runs a strict import regime, so every document is checked closely on arrival. Build your plan around the fixed waiting periods, because they set the pace for everything else.
Practical tips for this move
Keep every original document together and take copies. Border officials want originals, and a missing signature or date can hold up clearance.
Work backwards from your travel date and add a buffer. Fixed waiting periods mean a single slipped appointment can push the whole move back by weeks.
Check the airline’s crate size and labelling rules early. An undersized or wrongly labelled crate is a frequent reason pets are refused at check-in.
Ask about temperature embargoes for your travel window. Summer and winter cargo restrictions can rule out certain routes and dates entirely.
FAQ
Common questions about Macau to Japan pet transport
No. MAFF’s designated regions are limited to Iceland, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Hawaii and Guam. Macau is not among them, so the full non-designated-region process applies: two rabies vaccinations 30 days apart, a titre test, and a 180-day wait from the blood draw.
No, provided every step is completed correctly and in order. The 180-day wait happens before arrival, with the pet living normally in Macau. A fully compliant pet, with advance notification submitted on time, can clear arrival inspection in as little as half a day. Missing or incorrect steps can extend the on-arrival hold considerably.
No. Air Macau does not carry pets at all, in the cabin or as cargo, on any of its routes. A pet moving from Macau to Japan needs to transfer through Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific Cargo or Japan Airlines Cargo instead.
At least 40 days before the planned arrival date, confirming the chosen arrival port, Narita, Haneda and Kansai among them, has quarantine facilities available to receive the pet.
The 180-day wait after the titre test blood draw is the dominant factor, on top of the two vaccinations spaced 30 days apart and the 30-day gap before the blood draw itself. None of these periods can be shortened, and each depends on the one before it running to schedule.
Airline guides
Cathay Pacific Cargo
Japan Airlines (JAL) Cargo
Air Macau
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.