A month-by-month plan of what to buy, what to register, and what the vet will charge during your new dog or cat's first year.
The first year is the most expensive and the most confusing year of pet ownership, especially when the paperwork is in Japanese. This checklist walks you through it month by month so nothing catches you off guard. Each supply item links to an Amazon Japan search so you can compare current products and prices yourself. For the full multi-year picture, run the Pet Cost Calculator afterwards.
This is the big spending month. Three things happen at once: the pet itself, the legal paperwork, and the initial gear.
Adoption or purchase. A pet shop or breeder dog often costs ¥200,000 to ¥400,000, a shop cat ¥100,000 to ¥250,000. Adoption from a shelter (護護犬 / 護護猫) is typically ¥0 to ¥30,000 to cover vaccinations and sterilization already done.
Dog registration (犬の登録). Dogs must be registered with your city ward office. The one-time registration fee is about ¥3,000, and you receive a license tag. This is a legal requirement under the Ministry of the Environment, not optional.
Microchip. Since June 2022, dogs and cats sold by breeders and pet shops are legally required to be microchipped and registered. If you bought from a shop, the chip is already in; you must update the owner registration to your name (a small online fee, around ¥300 to ¥1,000). Adopted or privately rehomed pets may need a chip implanted, roughly ¥3,000 to ¥6,000 at a vet.
First vet visit. Book a general health check within the first week or two: roughly ¥3,000 to ¥8,000 for the exam, plus any parasite screening. This visit also sets up your vaccination and prevention schedule.
Initial supplies to buy now:
Combination vaccine (混合ワクチン). Puppies and kittens need a series of combination vaccinations protecting against several diseases at once. Expect roughly ¥5,000 to ¥10,000 per shot, usually two to three shots a few weeks apart in the first months.
Rabies vaccine (required for dogs). Under the Rabies Prevention Law (狂犬病予防法), all dogs in Japan must receive a rabies vaccination annually and be registered for it. The first shot is given after the puppy series; the vaccine plus the required certificate runs about ¥3,000 to ¥4,000. Cats are not legally required to have it.
Buy these around this time so you are ready for outings and grooming:
Most vets recommend sterilization (遮り／厍圳) before the first heat, often around 5 to 7 months old. Plan the budget now even if the surgery is slightly later. Typical costs: neutering a male ¥15,000 to ¥30,000; spaying a female ¥20,000 to ¥50,000 (more, because it is abdominal surgery). Some city governments offer small subsidies, so ask at your ward office. Note that insurance does not cover this elective surgery.
From the start, these recurring costs run all year:
Also worth buying once for daily life: a selection of toys (おもちゃ) and a treat pouch (トリーツポーチ) for training walks.
Around the half-year mark is a smart time to lock in pet insurance, if you have not already. Premiums are lowest while your pet is young, and policies have waiting periods (about 30 days for illness), so the protection is only useful if you enroll before something goes wrong. Pre-existing conditions are permanently excluded, which is one more reason not to delay. Read our full pet insurance guide for foreigners to compare providers.
At the one-year mark you enter the normal annual rhythm: a wellness exam, booster combination vaccine, and (for dogs) the legally required annual rabies shot and the spring filaria blood test before prevention season restarts. Budget roughly ¥15,000 to ¥30,000 for this annual round, more if any extra screening is recommended.
Excluding the purchase price of the pet, expect roughly ¥120,000 to ¥250,000 across the first year once you add registration, microchip, vaccinations, spay/neuter, initial gear, and twelve months of food and prevention. Add the purchase or adoption cost on top. A large breed pushes toward the high end; an adopted small cat sits near the low end.
The first year is front-loaded, but pets cost money every year after. See how it all adds up over a lifetime.
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