Shipping Pets

Please contact your local Military Veterinary Clinic or the Camp Zama Veterinary Treatment Facility (VTF) as soon as you find out you will (or may) PCS to Japan. Preparing pets for entry to Japan is a multi-step process that can require up to 8 months to complete.

Dogs and cats are required to have a 15-digit International Organization for Standardization (ISO)-Compliant microchip, two valid rabies vaccinations, and a rabies titer (FAVN) test prior to entry into Japan. Both rabies certificates must include all vaccine information, the pet’s microchip number, and be signed by the administering veterinarian. 

Advanced notification to the Animal Quarantine Service at the expected port of entry is required not less than 40 days prior to arrival using the Advanced Notification Form. A health certificate issued within ten days prior to arrival must accompany each pet. It is recommended that you acquire the health certificate (MDJ OP Form 2209) through a military veterinarian. Either a copy of your travel orders or U.S. Forces, Japan (USFJ) form 380EJ for customs entry into Japan is required. 

Pets entering Japan must be brought to the Camp Zama VTF within 72 hours of arrival for an initial quarantine assessment.

Shipment of dogs weighing more than 150 pounds (this includes the kennel weight) is not authorized on Air Mobility Command (AMC) flights. All travel arrangements are the responsibility of the pet owner.

Note: Please contact your nearest AMC terminal for the most up-to-date information regarding pet travel.

When picking up your pet, you must have a copy of your original travel orders to prove ownership. All incoming animals must enter Japan only through officially designated ports.

For Military AMC flights, the nearest ports of entry are Kadena and Yokota Air Base. Nearest ports of entry for commercial flights are Narita and Haneda International Airports. All In-processing is done by members of the Japanese Quarantine Service, or by U.S. military (if entering from an AMC terminal) and all Japanese requirements are adhered to strictly.

Animal Inspection and Customs when arriving on commercial flights:

Pet owners will proceed to the baggage claim area where they will pick up pet(s) along with checked baggage. Owners will then go to the Animal Quarantine Service Counter for quarantine processing. Animal Quarantine Counters are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with no additional charge for import quarantine inspection. Following pet processing, travelers will take both pet(s) and baggage to the Customs Counter. Service Members will be required to submit USFJ Form 380EJ "Customs Free Import or Export of Cargo or Customs Declaration of Personal Property", which can be obtained at the Transportation Office of the losing installation or at the Customs check point at the port of entry. This form is used to declare personal property and obtain a tax exemption under the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). All pets traveling with a Service Member must be listed on the USFJ Form 380EJ.

Japanese Animal Quarantine Service Regulations require that all animals entering Japan be examined to determine if they are free from communicable diseases. For owners with Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) privileges, animals found to be free from communicable diseases may be released to the owner's custody subject to the restrictions listed below:

• The health certificate must accompany the animal during transit. This is issued by the veterinarian which examines the pet prior to export. The health certificate must be dated within the ten days preceding the animal's arrival into Japan. (To clarify - the certificate is only good for ten days, so plan accordingly.) Placing a copy of the health certificate in a zip lock plastic bag and taping it securely on top of the pet's cage is recommended during transit. Acceptable health certificate documents include MDJ OP Form 2209 (issued by a US Military Veterinarian) or Form AC (issued by a private veterinarian). All health certificate documents issued by private veterinarians require official endorsement by the USDA.
• Two rabies vaccinations annotated on the health certificate. The current rabies vaccination must have been administered prior to the expiration of the primary (first) vaccination, be given more than 30 days prior to the animal's entry into Japan, and be within the vaccine’s duration of validity. Bringing puppies or kittens not old enough for rabies vaccination is highly discouraged as these pets will automatically receive a 180-day quarantine period.
• Florescent Antibodies Virus Neutralization (FAVN) results annotated on the health certificate with titer equal to or greater than 0.5 IU/mL. FAVN tests must be performed by the Kansas State University Rabies Laboratory or the DOD Veterinary Food Analysis and Diagnostic Laboratory (FADL) more than 180 days prior to the pet’s arrival.

If the health certificate is obtained through a civilian veterinarian, it must be endorsed by a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) field office. Issuance and endorsement of the health certificate can be completed through traditional mailing of documents or electronically through the USDA’s Veterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS). USDA endorsement is not required on health certificates issued by US Military Veterinarians. Most states have only one Federal USDA office, so it is simplest to obtain the rabies vaccination and health certificate through a Military Veterinarian, if possible. It is suggested that you carry in your possession one original copy of the health certificate and all supporting original documents (2 rabies certificates, FAVN results, Microchip verification) in case of loss.

Owners failing to provide a valid health certificate annotating two rabies vaccinations and FAVN results 0.5 IU/mL or greater WILL have their pet placed in an automatic 180-day quarantine. An ISO Compliant Microchip must also have been implanted PRIOR TO both rabies vaccinations and FAVN testing. If all these requirements are met, the pet’s quarantine period is determined based on the following formula:

Number of quarantine days assigned = (180 days) minus (number of days since blood collected for an acceptable FAVN test at the date of arrival)

Owners must present Travel Orders and a DoD ID card at the time of import to certify applicability of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) for their pets’ quarantine. Pets meeting all import requirements and with >180 days elapsed since time of FAVN testing will receive a 12-hour quarantine period.

A Pet Quarantine and Examination Certificate (MDJ Form 270) will be issued to the owner upon import. This will outline the quarantine duration required for each pet and is provided by the Japanese Animal Quarantine Service (commercial flights) or US Military Veterinary Services personnel (AMC flights) at the time of import inspection. No pet should leave the airport of arrival without first being issued an MDJ 270.

All pets shown to be owned by US Forces personnel assigned to Camp Zama or NAF Atsugi are required to be examined at the Camp Zama VTF within 72 hours of arrival. At this time, pets will either be released from quarantine (if assigned 12-hour quarantine period) or instructed to return for a follow up quarantine examination. They will be assessed for signs of rabies infection every 30 days by VTF staff while in quarantine. Owners must again present the animal for examination at the VTF within 72 hours of the final quarantine date to be officially released from Government of Japan Quarantine.

Pets must reside on a US Government Installation for the duration of quarantine. US Forces Service Members are given the special privilege of home quarantine only when living on a US military installation and with the pet(s) under the owner’s direct custody. Pets are not allowed to leave the installation for any reason until officially released from quarantine by a veterinarian at the Camp Zama VTF. There are no exceptions to this policy, for any reason. Those individuals residing off installation will be required to finance boarding of their pet(s) at a Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) Pet Kennel until the Final Quarantine Date and Examination are complete. Due to the limited emergency veterinary care available on OCONUS Installations, it is highly recommended that owners of ill or elderly pets with an anticipated quarantine period >12 hours delay the pet’s arrival until all quarantine requirements are met. Emergent or advanced care cannot be guaranteed for pets needing immediate treatment.

Countries Requiring Special Attention

Rome, Santo Domingo, (APO) Miami and Manila do not have the stamp required for entry into Japan. Therefore, all pets coming from these areas can expect a lengthy quarantine if the certificates were issued by civilian veterinarian. If the rabies vaccination and health certificate were issued by a U.S. Military Veterinarian, there will be a 12-hour quarantine providing that all other requirements are met.

Public transportation (limousine bus) from the airport to the gaining installation may be available but has limited hours of operation. It is recommended that Service Members contact their sponsor prior to arrival for assistance with flight scheduling and coordination of pet travel. Be certain to let him/her know you are bringing a pet, what kind of pet, how many pets, and cage dimensions as well as when and where you will arrive. Pets are required to be transported directly from the airport to a US Installation without opening the cage or carrier. Camp Zama Lodging has very limited pet-friendly rooms, so it is recommended that a reservation be made well in advance. If your pet will need to be kenneled, contact the Camp Zama Morale, Welfare and Recreation Pet Care Center and make a reservation as soon as possible.

Please contact the Camp Zama VTF at 315-263-3875 with any additional questions or concerns.

Public transportation (limousine bus) from the airport to the gaining installation may be available but has limited hours of operation. It is recommended that Service Members contact their sponsor prior to arrival for assistance with flight scheduling and coordination of pet travel. Be certain to let him/her know you are bringing a pet, what kind of pet, how many pets, and cage dimensions as well as when and where you will arrive. Pets are required to be transported directly from the airport to a US Installation without opening the cage or carrier. Camp Zama Lodging has very limited pet-friendly rooms, so it is recommended that a reservation be made well in advance. If your pet will need to be kenneled, contact the Camp Zama Morale, Welfare and Recreation Pet Care Center and make a reservation as soon as possible.

Please contact the Camp Zama VTF at 315-263-3875 with any additional questions or concerns.