Genotypes and subgenotypes of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) field isolates from Japan, Germany and the United States of America (USA) were identified, and the prevalent pattern of BVDV in individual countries was estimated genetically. Subgenotypes were determined based on phylogenetic analyses of nucleotide sequences of a part of the E2-coding gene of BVDV. Forty-five, 61 and 56 BVDV strains were isolated from naturally infected cattle in Japan, Germany and USA, respectively, between 1980 and 2003. The most prevalent BVDV in these three countries was BVDV - 1b. The second most prevalent BVDV strains were 1a, 1d and BVDV - 2 in Japan, Germany and USA, respectively. The most prevalent subgenotype 1b in each country constructed individual small clusters in the subgenotype 1b branch in the phylogenetic tree. Although cattle and/or cattle products were moving among the three countries as part of international trade, the distribution of BVDV in the field in each country showed long-standing individual patterns.