United States → Japan

US to Japan: start months earlier than you think.

Advance notice and rabies timing are the usual failure points.

Planning order

Japan’s process rewards early calendars, not last-month scrambles.

Microchip that Japan will accept

Identity must be readable for the whole file.
Rabies vaccinations on the required schedule

Japan cares about timing between shots and tests.
Rabies antibody test and waiting period

Many households underestimate how early this must start.
Advance notification to Japanese authorities

Notice windows matter — late notice can delay entry.
Health certificates and export endorsements

Origin-country endorsement steps are easy to miss.
Airline acceptance and crate rules

Confirm the carrier will take the pet on your dates.
Arrival inspection planning

Know what happens at the airport and who meets the pet.