{"id":3619,"date":"2024-01-17T15:37:49","date_gmt":"2024-01-17T06:37:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vhbloglive.wpengine.com\/?p=3619"},"modified":"2025-06-29T10:39:11","modified_gmt":"2025-06-29T01:39:11","slug":"owning-pets-in-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/japanese-apartment-life\/owning-pets-in-japan\/","title":{"rendered":"Owning Pets in Japan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

One thing that most people look for in life is a companion, and pets are great for people looking for a loving partner. Check out our article on owning pets in Japan for more info. This article about owning pets in Japan will tell you all you need to know. If you\u2019re thinking about getting a pet but are still considering which might be the right one for you, check out our blog on the different types of apartment friendly pets<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When moving to a\nnew country, people must decide what they want to bring with them. Some people\nhave pets that they wish to bring along for the ride, while others find that\nthey want a pet after starting their new life in a new country. There are a few\nsteps you should follow for buying a new pet, and others for bringing your pet\ninto the country of Japan. We will look at the different steps and rules\nassociated with having a pet in Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Bringing Your pet Into Japan<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You would think\nthat bringing your pet into a new country would be an easy task. But, there are\na few rules for bringing pets into Japan. First, you should look for what\nqualifies as a pet in Japan. Some animals may not be qualified, or meet the\nrequirements of what is a pet in Japan. You can find all the information on the\nnational website of your home country and Japan. Different pets require\ndifferent steps to get them into the country. We will look at the most common\nanimals, dogs and cats, first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, you must\ngive advanced notification that you are bringing a pet with you. This must be\ncompleted at least 40 days before your entry into Japan. You can find the\nproper paperwork on your country\u2019s main websites concerning international\ntravel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second, your pet\nmust have a microchip implanted in them. Japan does not allow entry of dogs or\ncats if without an ISO compliant chip. If they have a different kind of chip\nimplant, you will need to have a chip reader with you. Your pet must be chipped\nafter the first or second vaccination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Third, your pet\nmust be up-to-date with all of its shots and vaccinations. Any pet who has not\nhad proper vaccinations will be denied entry.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Fourth, your\nanimal must be tested for rabies and antibodies at a recognized testing\nfacility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fifth, the\nanimals must wait 180 days after getting their results before being allowed\nentry into Japan. If they have not completed the required amount of days, they\nwill be held in quarantine for the remainder of the 180 day wait. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sixth, your pet\nmust have a health certificate from an accredited veterinarian. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rules for\nbirds are having all of its veterinarian needs finished before travel, and quarantining\nthe bird for 21 days before departure. There are some birds that are not\nrecognized as pets in Japan, so make sure to check the list before trying to\nbring your bird to Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ferrets require\nhealth checks and certificates from a certified veterinarian. There are some\nother small rules, but they can be read at your countries website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of these\nsteps are strictly enforced and if you find that your animal must be held in\nquarantine, you will have to pay a fee as well as take care of them at the\nfacility they are being held at. It can be costly and your pet will only be\nallowed out at the times you are at the facility. It is not fair for the pet nor\nthe owner, so make sure you follow all the required steps before bringing your\npet.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Buying Your pet<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Japan has a large\nnumber of pet stores in its cities and towns. They all have purebreed cats,\ndogs, and other smaller pets for people to own. Expect any purebred dog to come\nwith a purebred price tag. Most pets are sold at a minimum of 100,000 yen, or\n1,000 USD. There are also pounds and shelters in Japan that have adoption\nservices. It is best to buy from an accredited shop as you may have problems\nwhen buying from breeders directly. Japan has a problem with illegal animals as\nwell, so it is best to have the paperwork on your animals in case something\nhappens. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Rules for Owning<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Owning a pet is\nsimple and is a fast task to complete. Whether you\u2019re getting a dog or a\nhamster you only have to sign the receipt of purchase for the animal. If you\nwant to add more security, you can choose to microchip your pet. Pets in Japan\nare seen as a luxury and don\u2019t have as many rights as they may have in western\ncountries. There are animal cruelty laws there but they aren\u2019t strictly\nenforced and people have found loopholes in the system. You should have a leash\nwhen walking in public and a collar with owner information on the pet. Pets in\nJapan should be obtained with the thought of small living. The cities make it\ndifficult for large pets to have the proper amount of room to run and play so\nsmall pets will work best there. Popular pets in Japan are hamsters, hedgehogs,\nbirds, and small cats and dogs. There are cafes that allow patrons play-time\nwith certain animals. You need to keep your dogs and cats up to date with all\nof their vaccinations and keep them in good health.<\/p>\n\n\n

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City vs Rural Life<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When thinking\nabout owning a pet in Japan, you should give a lot of thought about where you\nlive. A labrador will have a harder time living in the city compared to the\nopen rural areas. When it comes to city living, you should try to keep pet size\nas small as you can. Cats are very popular because they can do well in smaller\napartments. Small dogs are also popular pets in Japan because they can handle\napartment life well. <\/p>\n\n\n

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You must remember\nthat you must clean up after your animal if they use the bathroom on the\nstreets or in parks. The city streets are usually busy with cars and people\npassing by. The countryside is better suited to larger pets in Japan. They tend\nto have larger yards and open fields to run in. Apartment life is well suited\nfor small rodents, fish, and small breeds of dogs and cats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many things to look at before deciding to get a pet in Japan, and it is good to remember that any pet requires a large amount of responsibility. They can make your life better and give you companionship when you don\u2019t have many people to be with. Make sure to pick the pet that best fits your living situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please note that finding an apartment to live in with a pet might be more complicated in Japan than in other countries, as there are strict rules regarding pet ownership. These rules differ from property to property and depend on its owner or management. It is also not uncommon for rental apartments to not allow any pets at all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luckily, there are companies, such as Village House<\/a>, that offer pet-friendly rental properties. Contact them at their website and they will support you in finding your ideal home for you and your pet. Renting with Village House<\/a> is also a great option for those on a tighter budget, as they often don\u2019t charge for certain costs such as deposits, renewal fees or key money! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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