Route guide
Vancouver → Tokyo
The long game. Japan’s titer test and advance-notification window mean this route rewards planning months ahead — but done right, your pet clears without extended quarantine.
What this route involves
Flying from Vancouver to Tokyo means clearing Japan entry rules on arrival and meeting your airline’s own conditions on departure. Below are both, plus the order to do them in.
Leaving Canada
Rules tighten for dogs arriving from countries Canada considers high-risk for dog rabies. Commercial imports and puppies under eight months follow separate paths.
See full entry rulesEntering Japan
Japan runs one of the most procedure-heavy entry processes in the world — but there is no long quarantine if you follow every step in order. The critical one is the rabies antibody (titer) test, which starts a waiting period of up to 180 days before your pet can enter.
See full entry rulesAirlines on this route
Airline rules stack on top of the country rules above. Confirm both before you book.
Your chronological checklist
Work backwards from your travel date. Start the earliest step first — some cannot be rushed.
- 1 Implant an ISO 11784/11785 microchip211 days before travel
It has to come first: every later certificate references this number, and a rabies shot given before the chip usually does not count.
- 2 Rabies vaccination210 days before travel
Must be given after the microchip and be valid on the day you travel. Most destinations also require a minimum of 21 days between the shot and entry.
- 3 Rabies titer (blood antibody) test180 days before travel
Blood is drawn at least 30 days after vaccination and sent to an approved lab. The waiting period that follows is the single longest part of the trip.
- 4 Apply for the import permit30 days before travel
Government approval takes weeks and often fixes the exact dates of every other step, so apply as early as the authority allows.
- 5 Book the flight and reserve the pet slot30 days before travel
Airlines cap how many animals travel per flight. The pet slot runs out well before the seats do.
- 6 Health certificate and official endorsement2 days before travel
Issued by an accredited vet close to departure, then endorsed by your government authority. This endorsement cannot be done at the airport.
- 7 Travel dayTravel day
Carry the originals plus copies of everything, arrive early, and keep the crate documents attached to the crate.