BACKGROUND: Organ donor scarcity remains a restricting factor for pancreatic islet transplantation. To date, limited information is available on the impact of long-distance transportation on transplantable pancreatic islets. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of transportation on the viability and function of murine pancreatic islet cells. METHODS: The isolated murine pancreatic islets were transported from Japan to Korea with the use of commercial modes of transportation: subway and commercial airplane. After transportation, the islets were assessed by performing a viability assay and by evaluating the islets' insulin secretion in response to glucose stimulation. A comparative study was performed for evaluating the insulin secretory responses of transported and control islets (not transported). RESULTS: There was no evidence of contamination in the transported pancreatic islets. No significant differences were observed in the viability and functionality of the transported and control islet cells. CONCLUSIONS: These findings show the feasibility of pancreatic islet transportation from Japan to Korea. Our data could be used not only for the inter-Asian but also for global advancement of animal and human islet transportation methods and transplantation research.