What shipping documents and precautions are required for shipping animal cells, antibodies, blood and serum from Japan?

Depending on the origin of the item, shipments of animal cells, antibodies, blood or serum from Japan to overseas markets may require animal quarantine under the Livestock Infectious Disease Prevention Act. To avoid delays at export customs, please check with the animal quarantine office of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries regarding the following items and submit an animal quarantine confirmation form to our customs clearance department.

Animals subject to animal quarantine
Cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, deer and other even-toed ungulates (animals with an even number of split hooves), horses, asses and other equines, chickens, quail, geese, turkeys, ducks, gannets and other duck-billed birds, dogs, rabbits, honeybees

Animal quarantine exemptions
Fractionated, purified and extracted antibodies, proteins, nucleic acids and enzymes

For details, please contact the animal quarantine office of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

To download an animal quarantine confirmation form
Animal quarantine confirmation form
Sample of animal quarantine confirmation form

Please note:
For items requiring animal quarantine, customers must obtain an export quarantine certificate issued by the animal quarantine station themselves. Please note that we cannot accept shipments without an export quarantine certificate.

The above are the laws and regulations related to export customs clearance in Japan. Please check with the importing country's agricultural or quarantine authorities through the local importer or other related parties, or contact the embassy of the target country in Japan before importing.

External websites
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: Animal quarantine station
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: Locations of animal quarantine stations
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: Animal quarantine station inspection procedures for exported live animals and plants
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: Animal quarantine station forms for various applications and notifications

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