Moving from Japan to Germany (2026): Relocation Guide
Key takeaways
- Because Japan is an EU-listed third country, a dog or cat entering Germany needs only a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and an EU animal health certificate — no rabies antibody (titre) test is required. You still need a MAFF export certificate to leave Japan.
- Before you leave Japan, return your residence card to immigration at the airport, decide whether to claim the pension lump-sum withdrawal, close down utilities, tax and bank accounts, and file the Japan Customs unaccompanied-baggage declaration.
- Household goods travel from Japan as unaccompanied baggage — you clear them into Germany under transfer-of-residence relief (Übersiedlungsgut) using Zoll form 0350, which is normally free of duty and import VAT.
- Sea freight from Yokohama, Tokyo or Kobe to Hamburg typically takes several weeks door-to-door; air freight is faster but far more expensive and suited to a small shipment.
- On arrival you must register your address (Anmeldung) within 14 days, and — as a non-EU national — hold the correct residence permit before or shortly after entry.
- Get a tailored, all-in quote for your Japan-to-Germany move from Flyto’s advisor.
1. Leaving Japan: what to close out
A move out of Japan is as much an administrative exercise as a logistical one. Start roughly three months before departure so nothing slips through the cracks.
Residence card. If you are leaving permanently (departing without a re-entry permit), hand your residence card (在留カード) to the immigration officer at the airport or seaport when you go through departure control. The officer will cancel it — many travellers ask for it to be hole-punched and returned as a keepsake. Alternatively you can post it to the Immigration Services Agency. There is no separate “notification of leaving” to file when you surrender the card on final departure.
Municipal move-out (tenshutsu todoke). Notify your city or ward office that you are leaving Japan. This closes your residence record, stops resident tax being assessed on a false basis, and lets you settle national health insurance and any outstanding local tax. If you claim the pension lump-sum, appointing a tax representative (nozei kanrinin) before you deregister can protect part of the refund.
Pension lump-sum withdrawal. Foreign nationals who paid into the National Pension or Employees’ Pension for six months or more, and who will not draw a Japanese pension, can claim a Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment (dattai ichijikin). You must apply within two years of leaving Japan; the refund is capped at 60 contribution months. A flat 20.42% is withheld from the Employees’ Pension portion, though a tax representative can reclaim much of it afterwards. The Japan Pension Service publishes the claim form in English (see Sources).
Money and utilities. Japanese banks generally require you to be resident, so plan to close accounts after your final salary and pension paperwork clear, or arrange a trusted contact. Cancel your phone contract, electricity, gas, water and internet with move-out dates, settle NHK, and keep final statements — they double as proof of your Japanese residence for German customs relief.
2. How your household goods ship to Germany
Almost all personal effects leave Japan as unaccompanied baggage by sea. A removals company packs and inventories your goods, books container space, and files the export paperwork. Japan is an efficient origin: professional wrapping, tatami-friendly handling and clean documentation are standard.
You (or your mover on your behalf) must complete the Japan Customs Declaration of Personal Effects and Unaccompanied Articles, form C-5360-B, so that the shipment is recorded as used household goods rather than commercial cargo. Keep the endorsed copy — it links your outbound shipment to your identity (see Japan Customs).
Ports and routing. The main gateways are Yokohama, Tokyo and Kobe. Most Japan-to-Germany household moves route to Hamburg, Germany’s largest container port, often via a transhipment hub such as Rotterdam or Singapore. For a full 20ft or 40ft container you get an exclusive load; for a smaller volume you share a container (groupage/LCL), which is cheaper but ties your timeline to the consolidation schedule.
Transit. Ocean transit from Japan to Northern Europe is a matter of weeks rather than days, and total door-to-door time adds packing, sailing schedules, transhipment, arrival handling and German customs clearance on top. Treat any single figure as indicative — sailings, port congestion and weather all move the date. Plan to live out of a suitcase for several weeks and pack an “air box” of essentials.
Air option. Air freight from Tokyo (Narita/Haneda) to Frankfurt or Munich cuts transit to days, but costs several times more per cubic metre. It suits a small, urgent shipment — a few boxes, a musical instrument, work equipment — while the bulk follows by sea.
3. Germany customs & transfer-of-residence relief
Because you are importing from a non-EU country, your goods cross an EU external border and must be declared to German customs (Zoll). The good news: a genuine relocation almost always qualifies for transfer-of-residence relief (Übersiedlungsgut), which waives customs duty and the 19% import VAT on used personal belongings.
To qualify you must generally have lived outside the EU for at least 12 continuous months, be moving your normal residence to Germany, and have owned and used the goods for at least six months before the move. The goods must be for your personal use, not for resale, and should be imported within 12 months of establishing your German residence.
The declaration is made on Zoll form 0350 (“Anmeldung zur Überführung in den zollrechtlich freien Verkehr von Übersiedlungsgut”), accompanied by a detailed packing inventory, your passport, proof you were resident in Japan (lease, utility bills, employer letter), and evidence you are settling in Germany. Zoll typically wants to see your German address registration (Anmeldung) before releasing the goods duty-free, so timing matters. Full guidance is on the German customs website. Note that alcohol, tobacco and vehicles have their own conditions, and new items (bought in the last six months) may attract duty and VAT.
4. Arriving: registration, residence, driving, healthcare
Address registration (Anmeldung). Within 14 days of moving into your German home you must register at the local Bürgeramt/Einwohnermeldeamt. You will need your passport, the rental confirmation from your landlord (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung) and a completed registration form. The certificate you receive (Meldebescheinigung) is the master key to German life — you need it to open a bank account, activate a residence permit, get a tax ID and, as noted above, to clear your household goods.
Residence status. If you are an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen simply returning or relocating from Japan, you have freedom of movement and only need to register your address. If you are a third-country national (for example a Japanese citizen or a non-EU national who was living in Japan), you need the correct visa or residence permit for your purpose — employment (including the EU Blue Card for qualified professionals), study, family reunification or self-employment. Many nationalities can enter visa-free and apply for the residence permit at the local Ausländerbehörde after arrival, but several must obtain a national D-visa at the German embassy in Tokyo before departure. Check your specific case early, as processing can take weeks.
Driving licence. You may drive in Germany on a valid Japanese licence for up to six months after establishing residence, provided you carry a certified German translation. Japan is a listed country, so within that window you can exchange your Japanese licence for a German one without sitting the theory or practical test. Apply at the local driving licence authority (Führerscheinstelle) with your Japanese licence, translation, biometric photo and proof of residence.
Healthcare. Health insurance is compulsory in Germany. Employees are enrolled into statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung) automatically; the self-employed and higher earners may opt for private cover. Arrange this early — proof of insurance is often required for the residence permit.
5. Pets
This is where the Japan-to-EU corridor is unusually straightforward. Japan is an EU-listed third country, so a pet dog or cat entering Germany needs only three things: an ISO-standard microchip, a valid rabies vaccination (given after the chip, and current on the day of travel), and an EU animal health certificate issued by an official veterinarian. Crucially, no rabies antibody titre test is required — the blood test and long waiting period that catch out owners moving from non-listed countries simply do not apply from Japan (see the European Commission’s bringing a pet into the EU guidance and its list of countries).
On the Japanese side you must still satisfy MAFF’s export rules. Apply for export inspection to the Animal Quarantine Service (ideally at least 7-10 days before travel), and obtain the MAFF export quarantine certificate at the airport before departure (see MAFF). The EU animal health certificate must be issued close to travel (valid 10 days for entry into the EU), so coordinate the vet visit, MAFF endorsement and flight tightly. Book pet-friendly cargo or cabin space with the airline well in advance — capacity from Japan is limited and seasonal heat embargoes can affect summer travel.
6. Money, banking & tax basics
Open a German bank account once you have your Anmeldung and, if applicable, residence permit; digital banks can bridge the gap while a traditional account is set up. Germany issues everyone a tax identification number (Steuer-ID) automatically after registration. You become tax-resident in Germany once your normal residence is here, so understand how your final Japanese income, any pension refund and German income interact — Japan and Germany have a double-taxation treaty that generally prevents the same income being taxed twice. Keep transfer records if you are moving savings from a Japanese account, and be aware of currency-conversion costs on large transfers. If your finances are complex (property, investments, the pension lump-sum), a short consultation with a Steuerberater in your first months is money well spent.
How Flyto handles your Japan to Germany move
Flyto manages the whole Japan-to-Germany corridor end to end: export packing and customs in Japan, sea or air freight to Hamburg, and transfer-of-residence clearance and delivery in Germany. Because we run our own hubs across Northern, Central and Southern Europe, your shipment stays inside one accountable network from Yokohama to your Berlin, Munich or Frankfurt address — one point of contact, one plan, no hand-offs between disconnected agents. We prepare the Zoll form 0350 paperwork, coordinate the pet timeline with your vet and MAFF, and give you realistic dates rather than optimistic ones. Get a quote and we’ll map out your move.
Frequently asked questions
Does my dog or cat need a rabies blood test to enter Germany from Japan?
No. Japan is an EU-listed third country, so only a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and an EU animal health certificate are required — no titre test. You still need the MAFF export certificate to leave Japan. Source.
Will I pay import duty or VAT on my household goods?
Usually not. A genuine relocation from Japan qualifies for transfer-of-residence relief (Übersiedlungsgut) on used goods you have owned for at least six months, declared on Zoll form 0350 — this waives duty and the 19% import VAT. Source.
How long does sea freight from Japan to Hamburg take?
Ocean transit is a matter of weeks, and total door-to-door time adds packing, transhipment, arrival handling and customs. Air freight to Frankfurt or Munich takes days but costs several times more, so it suits only small, urgent shipments.
How soon must I register my address in Germany?
Within 14 days of moving in, at the local Bürgeramt. The Meldebescheinigung you receive is needed to open a bank account, activate your residence permit and release your household goods from customs.
Can I use my Japanese driving licence in Germany?
Yes, for up to six months after establishing residence (carry a certified translation). Because Japan is a listed country, you can then exchange it for a German licence without taking the theory or practical test. Source.
Can I still claim my Japanese pension after I move?
Yes. If you contributed for six months or more and won’t draw a Japanese pension, apply for the Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment within two years of leaving Japan. Appointing a tax representative before you go can reduce the tax withheld. Source.
Related moves
Sources
- European Commission — Bringing a pet into the EU from a non-EU country
- European Commission — Listing of territories and non-EU countries (Japan listed)
- MAFF Animal Quarantine Service — Departure from Japan (dogs and cats)
- German Customs (Zoll) — Transferring residence / Übersiedlungsgut
- Japan Customs — Declaration of accompanied and unaccompanied articles (C-5360)
- Japan Pension Service — Lump-sum Withdrawal Payments
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan — residence card procedures
- Make it in Germany — visa and residence permit types
Hiring an international mover? See our full International removals to Japan service — Flyto’s own European hubs, vetted local partners and one English-speaking coordinator, door to door.