Really strange question about pets...

[lessthansign3]

Okay, I have spent a lot of time in Japan before. I went there as an exchange student for nearly a year and have traveled back for visiting as well. I am going to study abroad there again while I'm in college and have considered moving back there for a few years to teach English or something, but I do have one rather strange question...

...Does anyone have any experience with pets and moving to Japan? I have a rabbit and a chinchilla, and both will still be with me when I would be moving there if they remain in good health. Chinchillas can live up to 20 years and mine is only 3. I'd absolutely hate to have to give them up, and in fact, I probably won't move there at all if I had to (I have a friend who will take them when I study abroad for a semester again next year). So yeah, if anyone knows anything about importing pets and quarantines and what not, please let me know. Thanks!

[markystar]

iot's not such a strange question.

i don't for certain, but i've heard quarantine is like 6 months or something. sounds pretty stressful for the pet. especially if you plan to return to your home country and put them thru it all over again. you can probably find info on the japanese embassy website.

[phileuro]

Depends where you are moving from.... Japan, I believe, is in the pet-passport zone. I believe that we can bring our dogs from Spain to Japan without quarantine (it was a year ago I looked at this, so I may be mistaken).

Check here (and other places on the web):
http://www.pettravel.com/immigration/japan.cfm