How to PCS Your Dogs to Japan (Without Losing Your Mind)

I’m not writing this to scare you. Really — I’m not. But if you’re planning to move your dogs to Japan, I feel like I owe it to you to be honest: this has been the hardest part of our entire PCS.

Not the international move.

Not the pregnancy.

Not the packing or the paperwork.

The dogs.

The process is grueling, expensive, and honestly confusing as fuck.

Here’s how it’s gone for us so far.

We found out in December that we’d be moving to Japan. By January 6th, we already had our first vet appointment booked — a full seven months in advance. We were trying to be on top of things, and thank god we were, because even with all that lead time, it still felt like we were sprinting uphill through a maze.

Luckily, both of our dogs were already microchipped and up-to-date on their rabies vaccines. That meant we got to skip ahead to the next step: the rabies titer test. This test measures how many antibodies are in your dog’s system, proving that the vaccines worked. And the day the blood is drawn? That’s the start of your 180-day countdown. So we did the test, breathed a tiny sigh of relief, and moved to the next task.

Registering the dogs on base.

If you live on base or have visited the vet clinic there before, you might be able to skip this. We couldn’t. And during this process, we learned something we hadn't seen anywhere online: your rabies certificates must be signed by the vet who physically administered the vaccine. Not the clinic. Not just a staff signature. The actual person who gave the shot. Thankfully, our local vet was able to track down both providers, and we got our certificates signed in beautiful, official blue ink.

With that in hand, we moved on to the most miserable part of this journey: advance notification to Japanese quarantine services.

This part? Broke us a little.

The website is in Japanese. Even with Google Translate and the help of a few semi-fluent friends, it still took Morgan and me a combined ten hours to figure out the form. Ten. Hours. Once we finally understood what it was asking for, it only took about an hour to fill out. But wow. The rage. The confusion. We submitted it and now we wait — confirmation usually takes about a week. We're currently in this waiting period (fingers crossed).

At this point, we hit the fork in the road: Do we take the rotator (the military's free transport flight), or do we figure out another way?

We chose the latter. And here’s why:

1. Morgan is pregnant, and I wasn’t about to ask her to stand in line for 8–10 hours in the summer heat just to board a flight.

2. I was told by a highly respected military pet transporter that five dogs died on rotator flights last year.

   
   

That was it for me. Nope. Absolutely not.

We applied for — and received — special approval for Morgan to fly commercially. Normally, the military will still cover your flight if you go this route. But here's the catch: they give you very limited options. And for us, those options were not pet-friendly at all.

We were given two flight itineraries through the system, both with ANA (the airline most often recommended for traveling with pets to Japan). Both options had awful layovers, weird timing, and conditions that made it really risky for the dogs — especially during the summer, when temperatures can literally stop your dog from being loaded onto the plane.

So, we booked our own flights. Out of pocket. We chose a route with safer temperatures, a long layover in Tokyo for customs processing, and a middle-of-the-night departure time to protect the dogs from heat restrictions.

It was a tough call financially, but for us, the peace of mind was worth it. These pups have been with us through every chapter — there was no way we weren’t doing everything we could to bring them safely into this next one.

Oh - and why we don't advise using AVID microchips - you will be required to purchase a $300+ device to prove your dog is microchipped. Not all universal scanners read AVID microchips. Yes, this has become incredibly expensive.

PCS to Japan with Dogs: Master Checklist

A step-by-step guide to help military families and international movers bring their pets to Japan with confidence (and hopefully less panic).

✅ 1. Microchip First

If your dog isn’t already microchipped, do this immediately.

• Use a 15-digit ISO-compliant microchip

• Avoid AVID chips (they’re not compatible with all microchip readers, more on that later)

• Have your vet scan and confirm it’s active before continuing

  
  

✅ 2. Rabies Vaccinations (Two Required)

Your dog must receive two rabies vaccinations after microchipping.

• Both vaccines must be up to date and properly documented

• Ask for signed copies in blue ink from your vet

• You’ll need these for your health certificate and USDA endorsement

  
  

✅ 3. Rabies Titer Test

This is critical and highly time-sensitive.

• Must be completed at least 180 days before arrival in Japan

• If not, your dog will be quarantined in Japan for the remainder of those 180 days

• Confirms your dog has enough rabies antibodies to enter the country safely

  
  

✅ 4. Quarantine at Home

Your dog must remain in home quarantine during the 180-day post-titer period.

• No contact with unknown animals or pets outside your household

• No dog parks, group boarding, or public grooming

• This ensures zero risk of rabies exposure before travel

  
  

✅ 5. Book the Flight (and Plan Carefully)

• Choose flights with cooler departure/arrival times — we booked a 1am flight to avoid heat restrictions

  • Leave a long layover in Tokyo for customs and dog inspection before your final connection to Okinawa UPDATE : For us, we actually had to adjust our flight to a SHORT layover. Our dogs will no longer go through customs in Tokyo (Hadena) and will be transported straight to Okinawa. MORAL OF THE STORY : Do what is best for you and your dogs.

• Book your own ticket first, then call the airline to reserve pet cargo space

  • We were highly advised to fly ANA

• Pet confirmation typically arrives within 48 hours

• If temps are over 85°F, airlines can deny pet boarding on travel day

  
  

✅ 6. Submit Advance Notification to Japan

Mandatory step that must be completed at least 40 days before arrival.

• Submit the online form to Japan’s Animal Quarantine Service:👉 https://www.maff.go.jp/aqs/tetuzuki/system/49.html

• It's confusing and not perfectly translated — start early

• Once you get the hang of it, it takes about an hour

• Save and print the confirmation email

  
  

✅ 7. Book a USDA-Accredited Vet Appointment

Within 10 days of departure, get an official health certificate.

• Vet must be USDA-accredited

• Bring: rabies certificates, titer test results, microchip info, and advance notification

• Use Japan’s preferred health certificate format (your vet should be familiar)

• Make sure everything is signed and in blue ink

  
  

✅ 8. USDA Endorsement

Have your documents officially endorsed by your regional USDA APHIS office.

• Send or bring:

  • Health certificate

  • Rabies vaccine records

  • Titer test

  • Microchip proof

• Keep multiple copies of everything

• Bring both originals and extras with you during travel

✅ 9. Flight Day Logistics

The day has come — here’s what to prep and expect:

Before You Go:

• Prepare an IATA-approved crate with absorbent liner and cooling pad (required for high temp travel)

• Secure water bottle and attach ID tags (include Japan contact if available)

• Bring copies of all paperwork in a folder

• Freeze a small water bowl to place in the crate for gradual hydration

At the Airport:

• Arrive 3–4 hours early

• Notify airline staff that you're traveling with pets

• Ask for confirmation your dog has been safely loaded

Upon Arrival in Japan:

• Visit the Animal Quarantine Service at the airport

• They’ll scan the microchip, review documents, and inspect the dog

• If everything checks out, you’ll be released with no further quarantine

Our dogs pawsports I created for shits and giggles.