Import Rules — The Official Entry Points (US, UK/EU, Australia)

General conditions and where to confirm them, by destination — this page never decides your case.

Import conditions change with disease findings and regulation, so this page does two things only: it summarises the general shape of each system as its authority publishes it, and it points to the official confirmation route. It never states that you personally can or cannot import a fish.

United States: USDA APHIS regulates live fish imports. Koi are listed as susceptible to SVC, and imports require an APHIS import permit and a health certificate issued by the exporting country's government veterinary authority. Confirm current requirements on the APHIS page for importing fish, fertilised eggs and gametes before any purchase.

United Kingdom and EU: imports run through health certification and border control post checks under the destination's aquatic animal health rules. Confirm through the UK government and EU official guidance for ornamental aquatic animals, and use a licensed importer — personal carriage is not the designed route.

Australia: the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) permits live fish imports only within its permitted-species and permitted-country system, for the ornamental trade under import permits. Importing live fish as a household pet is not permitted under that system — Australian readers should treat this guide as a varieties, culture and see-it-in-Japan resource, and confirm any trade question directly with DAFF.

Re-check cycle: this page is scheduled for re-confirmation every six months — see the recheck note on the About page and the procedure filed with this site's package. Checked 6 November 2026.

Sources: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA — summary in our own words, credit only); All Japan Nishikigoi Promotion Association official; Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) and Finance Ministry trade statistics as published; Japanese Agricultural Standard (JAS) for nishikigoi variety names and definitions (2022); Niigata Prefecture, Ojiya City, Nagaoka City (Yamakoshi) and Nishikigoi no Sato official; Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) visitor statistics; USDA APHIS and Australian DAFF official import guidance. Checked 6 November 2026.